CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Acts of Parliament (Internet Access)

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will take steps to make all Acts of Parliament published before 1988 for which her Department is responsible available on-line.

Richard Caborn: The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO) within the Cabinet Office is the Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament, and responsible for the publication of Acts of Parliament. HMSO has considered the publication of Acts prior to 1988, which is the earliest date when these were available electronically, but has decided not to do so as many have been heavily amended and to publish them in their original form would be misleading for many users. The Government are, however, taking forward development of a Statute Law Database which will contain the fully revised and updated text of all legislation from 1275. It is expected that this will be made available to the general public during 2006.

British Museum Act

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will bring forward amendments to the British Museum Act 1963 following the judgment of the High Court in the case of works of art formerly owned by Arthur Feldman and now in the British Museum; and if she will make a statement.

David Lammy: We are carefully considering the recent recommendation of the Spoliation Advisory Panel that legislation should be introduced to permit the return of items where possession was lost during the Nazi era. The Vice Chancellor's judgment of 27 May provides clarity in this important area and will contribute to our consideration of the Panel's recommendation.

Civil Servants

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what value-for-money procurement savings were identified and what reduction in civil service posts occurred in her Department in 2004–05.

Richard Caborn: DCMS will complete its assessment of the value-for-money procurement savings in July. Last year's savings for DCMS were £5.88 million and this year's return is expected to be a similar figure. I will write to the hon. Member with the 2004–05 savings as soon as they are available. Civil service posts in DCMS increased by 4.6 full-time equivalents in 2004–05.

Licensing Act

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many applications have been received to date by Easington district council from licensees for a new licence under the Licensing Act 2003; and what percentage of licences held this represents.

James Purnell: Information on the number of applications for converting existing licences received to date by Easington district council licensing authorities under the Licensing Act 2003 and the percentage this represents of existing licences is not kept by my Department. Information on local licence application levels should be available from the respective district or borough council. Licensing authorities are the main local authorities responsible for administering and enforcing the new regime that comes into effect in November.

Licensing Act

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the likely consequences of the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003 on the income of village halls; and if she will make a statement.

James Purnell: holding answer 9 June 2005
	There is no cost to village halls applying for a premises licence for the provision of public entertainment. Only where they wish to add the supply of alcohol to their licence will the vast majority pay no more than £190 on initial application and £180 as an annual fee. For many halls the fees would be £100 and £70 respectively. Once granted a premises licence, village halls will have the flexibility to provide licensable activities on their premises to a wide variety of users.

London Eye

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the effect of the London Eye on the 2012 Olympic bid.

Tessa Jowell: The London Eye is now a much loved and iconic London landmark, as such it is a first class tourist attraction—all of which helps to support London's bid for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

National Lottery

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money in each year has remained unclaimed since the National Lottery started; and what has happened to this money.

Richard Caborn: All prizes that are unclaimed 180 days after the date of the relevant draw are passed, together with any interest accrued, to the National Lottery Distribution Fund. The amount passed in every year, in £ million, since the National Lottery began is:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1994–95 0 
			 1995–96 34 
			 1996–97 48 
			 1997–98 74 
			 1998–99 78 
			 1999–2000 71 
			 2000–01 76 
			 2001–02 81 
			 2002–03 85 
			 2003–04 73 
			 2004–05 100

Sport Administration Costs

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total administration costs of (a) the Sport and Recreation Division of her Department, (b) Sport England, (c) regional sports boards and (d) county sports partnerships were in 2004–05 (i) in total and (ii) as a percentage of the overall budget of each.

Richard Caborn: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Administration costs 2004–05 (£000) As a percentage of budget allocated for each 
		
		
			 DCMS Sports  Directorate(1) 1,325 942 
			 Sport England(2) 24,782 99.11 
			 Regional Sports Boards 8,692 89.82 
			 County Sports  Partnerships 6,850 100.00 
		
	
	(1) Includes costs of Sports Division and Director of Sport (Group Head). Includes pay and other general administration.
	(2) Excludes the direct costs of running National Centres and Regional Offices

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Agents

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures UK Trade and Investment staff take to ensure that the lists of agents they provide to British companies include only agents committed to non-bribery principles.

Ian Pearson: The onus remains with UKTI customers to satisfy themselves as to the business standing and integrity of potential agents.

Agents

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many agents were removed from the list of agents provided by UK Trade and Investment to British companies, in each year since 2000; and from which countries.

Ian Pearson: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) do not hold a central list of agents or any other potential business partners. Bespoke lists of agents and other potential business partners can be provided direct to UKTI customers at their request.

Arms Sales (Indonesia)

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action is being taken to prosecute Alvis plc for the payment made to Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana in order to secure the contract from the Indonesian Government to supply Scorpion armoured fighting vehicles; and if he make a full statement.

Ian Pearson: The Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) provided support for the contract referred to. ECGD does not have investigatory powers, but I understand that the above matter has been referred to the Serious Fraud Office, which has primary responsibility for deciding whether such allegations should be investigated.

Citizens Advice Bureaux

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much his Department gave in grant to Citizens Advice Bureaux in each London borough in the last year for which figures are available.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department does not provide grant to local Citizens Advice Bureaux.

Departmental Union Representation

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many trade union learning representatives there are in his Department.

Alan Johnson: DTI has eight trade union learning representatives.

Inward Investment

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of levels of inward investment into the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 6 June 2005
	On 29 June I will be making a written statement to the House on inward investment into the United Kingdom in 2004–05 updating the one that was laid before the House last July. A copy of UKTI's 2004–05 annual report on UK inward investment will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Patio Heaters

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of outdoor patio heaters imported into the United Kingdom in each year since 1997.

Ian Pearson: The information requested is not available because the system of classification used to record trade does not separately identify outdoor patio heaters.

Race Relations Amendment Act

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of employees in the agencies in his Department are members of ethnic minorities that are (a) included and (b) not included in the schedule for the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000.

Alan Johnson: DTI agencies included in the schedule for the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 (category a) are: Patent Office, Companies House, Employment Tribunals Service, Small Business Service, Insolvency Service and National Weights and Measures Laboratory.
	There are no DTI agencies excluded from the schedule for the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 (category b).
	DTI HQ does not have access to the data requested. Agencies listed under (a) were asked to supply the data requested, and have responded with the following information:
	As part of the schedule for the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000, the following percentages of staff have registered themselves as from an ethnic minority background:
	
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 Patent Office 4 
			 Companies House 4 
			 Employment Tribunals Service 21.2 
			 Small Business Service 7 
			 Insolvency Service 15 
			 National Weights and Measures Laboratory *0

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Abandoned Vehicles

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent by councils on clearing abandoned vehicles in each year since 1997.

Ben Bradshaw: Figures on local authority expenditure on abandoned vehicles are not recorded centrally. However, the Defra Abandoned Vehicle Survey for 2002–03 estimated that the direct costs to local authorities of investigating, removing and disposing of abandoned vehicles was £25 million.

Abandoned Vehicles

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of abandoned vehicles were investigated within (a) 24hours, (b) a week and (c) a month of a complaint being registered in the last year for which figures are available.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government has introduced a new Best Value Performance Indicator 218 on abandoned vehicles. From April this year, local authorities are required to record and supply data on both:
	(a) the percentage of new reports of abandoned vehicles investigated within 24 hours of notification and
	(b) the percentage of abandoned vehicles removed within 24 hours of the local authority becoming legally entitled to do so
	Figures for 2005–06 will be available later in 2006.

Abandoned Vehicles

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many abandoned vehicles have been identified in each year since 1997; and how many have been cleared.

Ben Bradshaw: Estimates for abandoned vehicles removed and destroyed were first compiled in the Defra Municipal Waste Management Survey for 2000–01.
	Annual results for England are listed in the table.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2000–01 223,539 
			 2001–02 284,421 
			 2002–03 291,710 
			 2003–04 221,424

Angling Revenues

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what use is made of revenues raised from National Rod Licence fees.

Ben Bradshaw: All rod licence revenue is used to protect, conserve and enhance freshwater fisheries and other salmonid fisheries. Actions which this revenue funds include enforcement activities, monitoring, research and development, and habitat improvement works. The Environment Agency also uses the revenue to promote the social and economic benefits of fisheries. The Government also fund EA fisheries activities in the order of £6.2 million per year.

Auction Marts

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the future of auction marts.

Jim Knight: holding answer 13 June 2005
	Auction marts continue to be important for livestock farmers, particularly for store and breeding stock. As part of the wider livestock and meat marketing chain they are not immune from change and evolution, but this can have positive impact too. New and/or redeveloped markets will include the one now being built at Cirencester which is p art funded by the Defra Rural Enterprise Scheme. In other markets there may be opportunities for business diversification. We continue to monitor the network of auction markets, and remain in regular contact with the Livestock Auctioneers Association and the Meat and Livestock Commission. The Red Meat Industry Forum, with significant contributory Government funding, is working on finding ways of helping industry improve the competitiveness of the red meat supply chain. This includes livestock auction markets.

Avian Flu

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what precautionary measures have been put in place to prevent the spread of the avian influenza virus H5N1 to the United Kingdom.

Ben Bradshaw: If there is an outbreak of disease in an exporting country Defra takes appropriate emergency safeguard action in accordance with Community legislation. This may include a ban on imports of animals and animal products from all, or parts, of that country.
	Safeguard measures in relation to Avian influenza (Al) were put in place for effected Asian countries in January 2004 and have since been extended to 30 September 2005. Restrictions were placed on South African imports in August 2004 and have now been extended to 31 December 2005.
	The situation in affected countries is kept under review and controls on imports are modified in line with community decisions. Safeguard measures are currently in place to ban or restrict imports of animals, meat and other products of susceptible species in respect of highly pathogenic Avian influenza (HPAI) in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Pakistan, the People's Republic of China, including the territory of Hong Kong, North Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and South Africa.
	All poultry meat and birds imported into the EU from third countries must enter at designated border inspection posts where they are subject to veterinary inspections. All consignments are subject to documentary and identity checks. These checks ensure that these import conditions are met.
	From the time of import, live poultry, or eggs once hatched, must be held in quarantine for six weeks in an approved establishment to ensure that they are not carrying disease.

Canada Geese

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the impact of Canada geeseon (a) the environment and (b) other forms of wildlife.

Jim Knight: Canada geese were introduced to this country to add interest to parks and are another example of unwise introductions. They are large aggressive birds, now resident and breeding in Britain. The population estimate is 96,000 in England, with a suggested annual increase in population of 10 per cent. Its size and aggressive nature enables it to dominate other native species in terms of feeding and nest site selection, which can result in other species being unable to breed. There are also reports that breeding success of other birds is affected by trampling of nests, eggs and young. The Canada goose can also interbreed with other goose species, resulting in hybrids.
	Large congregations of Canada geese in parks can lead to local problems of bank erosion, fouling and intimidation of other park users, both human and wildlife.
	Being resident, Canada geese may extend the period during which damage to agricultural crops may occur which can lead to conflict with farmers.
	The Canada goose is not a rare species, and the numbers in England are not significant in terms of the world population.

Genetically Modified Maize

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research she has evaluated on the effects of the consumption of genetically modified maize MON863 on the health of (a) rats and (b) humans.

Caroline Flint: I have been asked to reply.
	The advisory committee on animal feedingstuffs examined a rat feeding study concerning MON863 and concluded that it did not indicate any adverse effects. The European Food Safety Authority also reviewed the application for genetically modified maize MON863, including a critique of a rat feeding study, and concluded that MON863 would not have any adverse affect on human health.
	There have been no studies carried out on the effects on humans of consuming MON863 maize.

Incinerators

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of incinerators that will be constructed over the next five years in (a) England and (b) South East England.

Ben Bradshaw: There are no data held centrally on the estimated number of incinerators that will be built in future years. The choice of waste management options is for individual local authorities to make.

Private Finance Initiative

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the private finance initiative and public private partnership projects her Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is.

Jim Knight: The core Department is currently undertaking one PFI project to provide office facilities at Brooklands Avenue in Cambridge. This project is operational.
	There are, however, a number of other PFI and PPP projects being undertaken by Defra's sponsored public bodies ie its Executive agencies, NDPBs, and public corporations. The details are listed as follows:
	
		
			 Organisation Description Category Status 
		
		
			 Environment Agency Broadland (Norfolk) Flood Defence Scheme PFI Operational 
			 Environment Agency Pevensey Bay Sea Defences PFI Operational 
			 Countryside Agency 'SPIRIT IT' System PFI Operational 
			 British Waterways Pub Partnership—development and management of canal side pub estate PPP Partnership is operational 
			 British Waterways 'Isis'—development of river and canal side property PPP Partnership is operational 
			 British Waterways Wood Wharf (London) redevelopment PPP Partnership is operational 
			 British Waterways Watergrid—water supply network PPP Partnership is dormant 
		
	
	In addition, although they are not Defra projects, the Department also provides support in the form of PFI credits to allow local authorities to enter into PFI contracts to provide waste recycling and management facilities. Information about these local authority projects can be found on the database of approved projects on HM Treasury's website.

Recycling

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of (a) domestic, (b) commercial and (c) industrial waste has been recycled in the UK in each year since 2001.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) Estimates of the percentage of UK household waste recycled or composted are shown in the table:
	
		Household waste recycled or composted
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 2001–02 12 
			 2002–03 14 
			 2003–04 17 
		
	
	(a) and (b) Estimates based on an Environment Agency survey of England and Wales in 1998–99 show that 45 per cent. of industrial and 26 per cent. of commercial waste was recycled or reused . Results from a further survey for 2002–03 will be published shortly.

UK Presidency (EU)

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what communication activities are planned in relation to the policy areas covered by her Department during the UK presidency of the EU; and what budget has been allocated for these activities.

Jim Knight: External communications activity for the presidency is being co-ordinated centrally by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Defra is engaged with FCO and other Government Departments on presidency communications activity.
	Defra's presidency communications activity has been developed to be sustainable and accessible and to address both public interest in the EU in general and the priorities, programme and progress of Defra's parts of the EU agenda.
	Ministers will undertake a range of activities, including briefings for media and stakeholders, and explanatory information will be placed in public areas of Defra buildings. Currently we have £20,000 set aside for publicity materials. We will also work with stakeholders, other Departments and the Commission on joined-up communications activity as appropriate.

Whales

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what further steps she intends to take following the decision of the Japanese authorities to (a) increase the quota of minke whale taking and (b) begin hunting the humpback whale.

Ben Bradshaw: With colleagues from 14 other countries HM ambassador in Tokyo delivered a Demarche to the Government of Japan on 2 June 2005, protesting in the strongest terms on Japan's plans to expand its so-called 'scientific' whaling activities. We are working to ensure that the International Whaling Commission's Scientific Committee takes no action which could possibly be read by Japan as an 'endorsement' of their plans, and will make further protest during the annual meeting of the Commission which takes place later this month.

TRANSPORT

Car Sharing

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment the Government have made of the effectiveness of car-sharing within schools as a means of reducing congestion associated with the school run.

Karen Buck: The Government want to make it possible for more children to walk, cycle or use the bus to get to and from school. Where these are not feasible, we would like as many parents as possible to have the option of car-sharing. Many families already make their own informal arrangements but formal car-sharing schemes for school journeys are only just starting to be developed.
	The impact of car-sharing on traffic levels is included in a major research report published by the Department last July—Smarter Choices—Changing the Way We Travel". Based on the evidence provided by this report, we are encouraging local authorities to consider including initiatives such as car-sharing in their new transport strategies.

Car Sharing

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how much funding has been given by his Department, and its predecessors, in each year since 1997 towards the (a) development and (b) promotion of (i) car clubs, (ii) car sharing and (iii) the Carplus scheme;
	(2)  what funding has been made available to local authorities to promote (a) car sharing, (b) car clubs and (c) education programmes to promote walking and cycling in each year since 1997.

Karen Buck: The information requested is as follows.
	Car Clubs and Car Sharing
	In 1999, the Department contributed setting up costs of £150,000 to establish the Edinburgh City Car Club. The Department has also supported the CarPlus advisory service with the following grants:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1999 37,000 
			 2000 38,000 
			 2001 103,000 
			 2002 53,000 
			 2003 60,000 
			 2004 60,000 
		
	
	CarPlus have requested further funding for 2005–06. This is currently under consideration.
	Education Programmes
	In general, revenue funding provided to local authorities is not dedicated for specific purposes. We did, however, provide some ring-fenced funding to local authorities through our bursary scheme for the employment of school and workplace travel plan co-ordinators at a cost of £3 million per annum for three years from April 2001 to March 2004. Both car-sharing and car clubs are measures that could be included in travel plans.
	Since October 2003, the focus has been on promoting school travel plans through the Travel to School Initiative. This is a joint project with the Department for Education and Skills. A budget of £50 million has been allocated for the two years up to March 2006. The aim is for every school in England to have a travel plan by the end of the decade and through this to boost walking, cycling and bus use. The funding is being used to support around 250 local-authority based school travel advisers to assist schools with developing their plans. There are also capital grants for schools with approved travel plans to pay for infrastructure such as improved cycle storage facilities. This is typically £5,000 for a junior school and £10,000 for a senior. £14 million was spent on these capital grants in 2004–05 and £20 million is expected for this and each subsequent year up to and including 2008.

Car Sharing

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the total reduction in vehicle kilometres that would result from a (a) 10 per cent. (b) 20 per cent. and (c) 50 per cent. increase in average vehicle occupancy.

Karen Buck: It is estimated that the decrease in vehicle kilometres for cars, taxis and vans as a result of an increase in vehicle occupancy would be as follows:
	
		
			   Vehicle kilometres by cars, taxis and vans (billion) 
			 Increase in vehicle occupancy Resultant percentage change in vehicle kilometres Current (2003) Following decrease in occupancy Change 
		
		
			 10 per cent. -9 451 410 41 
			 20 per cent. -17 451 376 75 
			 50 per cent. -33 451 301 150 
		
	
	This assumes that the occupancy increase is a result of increased trip sharing and therefore fewer trips, and not, for example, from a shift of passengers from other modes of transport. It is also assumed that an increase in occupancy does not result in an
	increase in trip length (i.e. passenger kilometre figures stay fixed).

Clive Soley

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the recent occasions on which (a) he, (b) other Ministers in his Department and (c) officials of the Department have met Clive Soley on departmental business.

Karen Buck: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport met Clive Soley at the Future Heathrow event on Monday 23 May. No other Department for Transport Ministers have recently met Clive Soley on departmental business. It is not known whether any officials from the Department for Transport may have met Clive Soley recently since no central record is kept of meetings officials attend.

Commercial Pilots

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many hours flying time per month are considered necessary for commercial pilots to retain their skills and competence.

Karen Buck: There are no specified flying hours per month necessary for pilots of commercial aircraft to retain their skills and competence. Commercial pilots are however required to complete a minimum of three take-offs and three landings as pilot flying (i.e. handling the aircraft) in the previous 90 days prior to operating a public transport flight, and a programme of recurrent training and checking requires them to demonstrate high levels of competency.

Crossrail

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the latest estimate is of the cost of Crossrail.

Derek Twigg: The latest estimate of the cost of Crossrail is contained in the Estimate of Expense submitted with the Crossrail hybrid Bill.

EU Directive

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what derogations the Government have (a) sought and (b) secured from (i) Article 4, (ii) Article 7 and (iii) other articles of Directive 2002/15/EC.

Stephen Ladyman: Directive 2002/15/EC allows for various derogations from Articles 4 and 7 under certain conditions. There is no requirement to seek approval for such derogations from the European Commission.
	The Government consulted twice on their approach to implementing the Directive, including the use of derogations, and, following these consultations, the implementing regulations allowed for:
	(a) the extension of the reference period (Article 4 of the Directive) over which the average 48 hour weekly working time limit is calculated from 17 to 26 weeks; and,
	(b) exceeding the 10 hour working time limit for working at night (Article 7)
	In both cases, such derogations may be applied only where there is a collective or workforce agreement (as required under the Directive).
	No derogations are allowed from Articles of the Directive other than Articles 4 and 7.

High-occupancy Vehicle Lanes

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the location of each high occupancy vehicle lane is; how long each lane is; and what new lanes are planned.

Stephen Ladyman: Three sections of high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane are presently in operation. In Leeds two lengths totalling 1.5 km have been installed along a 2 km stretch of the A647 Stanningley Road. South Gloucestershire council has three sections of HOV lane on the A4174 Avon Ring Road totalling 1.79 km. North Somerset council has a 1.425 km length of HOV lane on the A370 Long Ashton Bypass.
	Leeds city council plans to include HOV lane operation on the East Leeds Link. South Gloucestershire council plans a further 220 metre length for the A4174 and North Somerset council is considering an HOV lane on the A369 as part of a showcase bus route. I understand a number of other local authorities are also considering HOV lanes.
	In addition the Highways Agency has recently carried out a study that assessed the feasibility of introducing HOV lanes on sections of the motorway network. As a result of this study it is planned to introduce an HOV lane in both directions on the M1 junctions 7–10 when that section of motorway is widened in 2008. If this scheme proves successful the HOV lane could be extended as far as junction 13 (Milton Keynes) when that section of motorway is widened in 2011. The length of HOV lane to be provided between junction 7–10 is approximately 12.5 km in both directions. If the HOV is extended to junction 13 the total length will be about 36.25 km in both directions.
	The Agency is also looking into the feasibility of introducing HOV lanes on other sections of the motorway network. Locations being actively considered include sections of the M25 to be widened, M61 junctions 6–3 on the approach to Manchester and M62 junctions 25–27 on the approach to Leeds. This feasibility work is yet to conclude.

High-occupancy Vehicle Lanes

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has collated on the effectiveness of high occupancy vehicle lanes.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department is in touch with the highway authorities who have installed high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. The Highways Agency has commissioned reviews of international knowledge and experience on high occupancy/toll (HOT) lanes, a development of HOV lanes.
	Leeds city council has reported on the HOV lane on the A647 in Leeds and an information sheet is available on their website at http://www.leeds.gov.uk/, then search for high occupancy vehicle lane.
	South Gloucester council can provide data on the performance of their HOV lane and there is some information on their website at http://www.southglos.gov.uk/SouthGlos/TransportAndRoads/TrafficAndRoads/CalmingAndManagement/CarShareLanes.htm
	It is too early to report on the lane on the A370 Long Ashton Bypass in North Somerset which commenced operation in February this year.

Learner Driver Pack

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will (a) withdraw the Complete Official Learner Driver Pack published by The Stationery Office, (b) amend the inaccurate information it contains and (c) refund the cost to learner drivers and others who have purchased the Pack.

Stephen Ladyman: We have identified an error concerning information about a road sign in the DVD in our Complete Official Learner Driver Pack. We are taking steps to withdraw the incorrect packs from sale. We shall consider sympathetically any requests for a refund.

Litter

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many successful prosecutions were carried out against passengers for dropping litter at (a) train stations and (b) tube stations in London in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

M6

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has evaluated on (a) the purposes for car journeys on the M6 and (b) the average length of car journeys on the M6.

Stephen Ladyman: The purposes of car journeys and the average trip length on the M6 has been evaluated in connection with the West Midlands to North West Conurbations Multi-Modal Study.
	(a)The purpose of car journeys that join the M6 between Junctions 11 and 19 were as follows:
	
		
			  AM Inter-Peak PM 
		
		
			 Commuting 58.2 12.8 49.8 
			 Business 27.5 43.6 26.2 
			 Other 14.0 43.6 24.0 
		
	
	These figures exclude journeys on the M6 that pass through both these junctions. The Department for Transport does not hold information on the purpose of these journeys.
	(b) 42 per cent. of all traffic (cars, vans, lorries etc) passes through both Junction 11 and 19 and therefore has a journey length greater than 54 miles.

M62

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason a traffic survey was being carried out east of junction 37 on the M62 motorway on 4 June; and who was carrying out the survey.

Stephen Ladyman: A traffic survey was carried out east of junction 37 on the M62 motorway on 4 June to look at traffic flows in preparation for the removal of cones to be undertaken. The cones were in place to allow the installation of safety barriers. The survey was carried out by Balfour Beatty on behalf of the Highways Agency.

M62

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents took place on the M62 motorway east of junction 37 in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Stephen Ladyman: There have been five accidents on the M62 motorway east of junction 37 during 2004, the latest year for which figures are available.

M62

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why speed cameras are being erected on the M62 motorway east of junction 37; upon whose authority the cameras were erected; for how long the cameras are expected to remain; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: Speed cameras have been erected on the M62 motorway east of junction 37 as part of the M62 Gilberdyke to Newport concrete resurfacing scheme to improve safety for the travelling public and the work force during the works. The cameras have been erected by the Highways Agency in agreement with the Humberside Camera Partnership and Humberside police. The cameras will be in place for the duration of the works. The works started on 9 June and are expected to last 10 weeks.

North London Line

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rail journeys were made by freight trains on the North London Line in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: The Department does not hold this type of statistical information regarding the number of train journeys on specific lines of the rail network.
	Specific inquiries of this nature should be directed to Network Rail and the train operating companies.

Park and Ride

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) new and (b) expansions of existing park and ride facilities are proposed in the most recent annual progress reports.

Karen Buck: The projected numbers of new and expanded existing schemes recorded by local authorities in the 2003–04 annual progress reports are in the table. A few authorities did not provide returns.
	
		Park and ride facilities
		
			  New Expansion to existing Total 
		
		
			 2004–05 20 28 48 
			 2005–06 32 25 57 
			 2006–07 21 21 42 
			 2007–08 23 11 34

Pedestrian Crossings

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the evidential basis is for the claim that puffin crossings cause less vehicle delay than pelican crossings; what assessment the Department has made of which type of crossing pedestrians prefer and what guidance his Department gives to local authorities as to which system to install for newly implemented pedestrian crossings.

Stephen Ladyman: The reduced vehicle delay at a puffin crossing is primarily a result of cancelling the call for a pedestrian stage when no pedestrians are waiting. This frequently occurs when pedestrians see a gap in the traffic after pressing the call button. The benefit published in the Transport Research Laboratory study, (TRL Research Report 364), was derived from observations at sites where the call cancelling facility was trialled.
	Puffin crossings were developed to address the problems that pedestrians were encountering in using traditional signalled controlled crossings, including pelicans. We are currently carrying out further research to assess the operation of conversions from pelicans to puffins, including the behaviour and perception of pedestrians.
	The Department issued guidance to practitioners in the form of Local Transport Notes 1/95 The Assessment of Pedestrian Crossings" and 2/95—"Design of Pedestrian Crossings". These include information about both pelican and puffin crossings. They do not recommend one against the other, although they do say that it is intended that the puffin operational cycle will become the standard form of pedestrian crossing at all types of crossings.

PFI/PPP

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the private finance initiative and public private partnership projects his Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is.

Karen Buck: The Department for Transport has awarded private finance initiative/public private partnership contracts for the following contracts. All of the projects are operational.
	Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
	Estates Rationalisation
	Highways Agency
	Dartford Crossing
	Severn Crossing
	M6 Toll Road
	A69
	A1(M)
	A417/419
	A50
	A30/35
	M40
	A19
	M1-A1 Link Road
	A1 Darrington to Dishforth
	A249 Stockbridge to Sheerness
	Traffic Control Centre
	Vehicle Operator and Services Agency
	MOT Computerisation

Quieter Road Surfaces

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the target in the 10-year plan for transport on quieter road surfaces remains a Government target.

Stephen Ladyman: The 10-year plan for transport included an illustration of the delivery programme possible by 2010–11, given the levels of investment set out in the plan. Included in the illustration was the installation of quieter surfacing on over 60 per cent. of the strategic road network. The Highways Agency had surfaced approximately 27 per cent. of the network with quieter surfacing by the end of March 2005 and is currently on target to resurface 60 per cent. by the end of March 2011.

Quieter Road Surfaces

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the Quiet Lanes Regulations to be published.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department for Transport expects to publish the Quiet Lanes and Home Zones Regulations in autumn 2005.

Railways

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) incidents of and (b) prosecutions there were for (i) vandalism and (ii) trespass on rail lines by (A) adults and (B) juveniles in each of the last five years, broken down by region.

Derek Twigg: The British Transport police have provided the following table which shows the number of reported incidents of criminal damage/malicious mischief and of trespass on the railway over the last five years. There are no separate statistics for vandalism and the statistics are not available by region.
	
		
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Criminal damage/malicious mischief offences  
			 England/Wales (exc. LU) 5,090 4,774 4,978 6,480 6,661 
			 London Underground 693 725 925 1,509 1,470 
			 Scotland 753 531 599 563 605 
			 Total 6,536 6,030 6,502 8,552 8,736 
			   
			 Railway trespass offences  
			 England/Wales (exc. LU) 13,445 14,727 15,099 14,080 13,001 
			 London Underground 23 28 91 242 357 
			 Scotland 1,927 2,024 2,029 2,060 2,025 
			 Total 15,395 16,779 17,219 16,382 15,383 
		
	
	The following table shows the number of offences prosecuted for criminal damage and for railway trespass for adults and juveniles, based on the date of the offence. The British Transport police do not hold data on Scottish prosecutions.
	
		
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Criminal damage offences prosecuted—adults  
			 England/Wales (exc. LU) 413 449 442 414 312 
			 London Underground 83 87 118 109 71 
			 Total 496 536 560 523 383 
			   
			 Criminal damage offences prosecuted—juveniles  
			 England/Wales (exc. LU) 218 196 183 194 199 
			 London Underground 35 49 36 36 92 
			 Total 253 245 219 230 291 
			   
			 Railway trespass offences prosecuted—adults  
			 England/Wales (exc. LU) 237 457 412 522 448 
			 London Underground 11 11 14 23 17 
			 Total 248 468 426 545 465 
			   
			 Railway trespass offences prosecuted—juveniles  
			 England/Wales (exc. LU) 199 266 245 254 209 
			 London Underground 10 6 4 3 13 
			 Total 209 272 249 257 222

Railways

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met (a) Network Rail and (b) the Health and Safety Executive to discuss the siting of whistleboards.

Derek Twigg: There have been no meetings between Ministers at the Department, Network Rail and the Health and Safety Executive to discuss the siting of whistleboards. The railway industry has a duty under health and safety legislation to ensure that risks to those on or near railway lines are reduced. The location of whistleboards is the responsibility of Network Rail, who apply the requirements laid down by the Health and Safety Executive.
	Train drivers are required to sound train horns where whistleboards are located: on the approaches to footpath crossings and at unprotected crossings, in order to alert pedestrians to approaching trains. This is an important safeguard for those using footpath and level crossings, as there have been a number of fatal accidents at such locations.

Railways

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action is being taken to improve services on the South Wales Main Passenger Rail Service.

Derek Twigg: The introduction of the Arriva Trains Wales Standard Pattern Timetable in December 2005 will bring a more regular, clockface timetable for services in South Wales. A 60-day consultation began on 2 June on future services in the new Greater Western franchise to run from 1 April 2006, which includes services between London and South Wales.

Railways

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish a timetable for the break-up of Central Trains; and which franchise he expects will then be responsible for the Derby to Matlock services.

Derek Twigg: The Strategic Rail Authority has begun informal consultation with industry stakeholders including passenger transport executives and local authorities. Specific proposals for the re-allocation of Central Trains' services to other franchises will be considered later in the year.

Secure Station Status

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many stations with secure station status have subsequently had their designation removed since 6 December 2004; and which stations have been designated secure stations under the secure station scheme since that date.

Derek Twigg: Stations are awarded secure stations status for a two year period once they have met the required scheme accreditation standards on station design, station management, crime management, and passenger perceptions. There is provision for the accreditation to be withdrawn if there is a clear breach of standards during that time. No stations have breached the standards since the launch of the scheme in 1998.
	The following 38 stations have been accredited under the secure stations scheme since 6 December 2004, including 27 new accreditations and 11 re-accreditations:
	Aberystwyth
	Barnsley
	Bath Spa
	Beckton
	Birkenhead Central
	Birmingham New Street
	Bletchley
	Bow Church
	Brentford
	Bristol Temple Meads
	Brunswick
	Cannon Street
	Chesterfield
	Clapham Junction
	Cobham and Stoke D'Abernon
	Deptford Bridge
	Devon Road
	Fazakerley
	Fleet
	Gallions Reach
	Honiton
	Island Garden
	Lewisham
	Liverpool Lime Street
	Meadow Hall
	Milton Keynes
	Northampton
	Old Roan
	Prince Regent
	Pudding Mill Lane
	St. Pancras
	Swindon
	Wallesey Grove Road
	Wandsworth Town
	Waterloo
	Waterloo International
	Watford Junction
	Wigan North Western

Secure Station Status

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many crimes have been committed at stations that meet secure station status since 31 October 2004.

Derek Twigg: The British Transport police have provided the following information for the number of offences reported at stations that meet secure station status for the period 1 November 2004 to 31 May 2005:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Notifiable offences 7,249 
			 Non-notifiable offences 2,484 
		
	
	Notifiable offences are those offences which form the Home Office recorded crime statistics and include all indictable offences together with some closely related summary offences such as common assault. Data supplied include offences recorded within stations' premises, including retail/entertainment outlets, car parks and cycle sheds.

Traffic Volume

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average 24 hour traffic volume at the (a) J3-J4E, (b) J4A-J5, (c) J9-J10, (d) J10-J10A, (e) J10A-J11, (f) J12-J13, (g) J6-J7 and (h) J9-J10 automatic traffic counters on the M6 on (i) Mondays to Fridays, (ii) Saturdays and (iii) Sundays has been in each month since January.

Stephen Ladyman: The traffic flows for the period from January to April 2005 are provided in the table. With regard to section (a) , the correct definition of this link is J3-J3a, rather than J3-J4E.
	
		Average 24hr traffic volumes
		
			   January 2005 February 2005 
			 Location Direction Monday to Friday Saturday Sunday Monday to Friday Saturday Sunday 
		
		
			 J3-J3a N/B 58,067 34,966 35,370 62,341 41,949 39,787 
			 J3-J3a S/B 59,136 34,918 40,119 63,089 40,398 44,140 
			 J4-J4a N/B 50,425 33,639 33,118 54,582 39,410 37,436 
			 J4-J4a S/B 38,358 23,639 24,333 41,082 26,928 27,322 
			 J4a-J5 N/B 65,367 42,824 41,170 69,481 46,420 45,205 
			 J4a-J5 S/B 67,148 42,639 43,148 72,087 48,619 48,146 
			 J9-J10 N/B 78,521 53,777 54,204 82,494 61,992 60,956 
			 J9-J10 S/B 70,148 49,313 53,548 74,563 54,716 58,856 
			 J10-J10A N/B 66,340 44,347 45,021 71,083 51,365 51,465 
			 J10-J10A S/B 61,539 43,603 48,564 65,329 48,341 53,747 
			 J10A-J11 N/B 45,749 31,544 32,390 48,846 36,524 37,496 
			 J10A-J11 S/B 41,820 30,401 33,837 44,285 33,703 37,538 
			 J12-J13 N/B 56,694 37,097 39,764 60,505 44,035 46,098 
			 J12-J13 S/B 56,907 36,739 46,903 60,306 42,243 51,341 
			 J6-J7 N/B (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— 
			 J6-J7 S/B 62,509 40,431 40,171 66,380 45,632 44,635 
		
	
	
		
			   March 2005 April 2005 
			 Location Direction Monday to Friday Saturday Sunday Monday to Friday Saturday Sunday 
		
		
			 J3-J3a N/B 61,824 42,665 39,994 63,988 44,267 41,703 
			 J3-J3a S/B 62,503 41,438 44,411 64,449 43,314 46,236 
			 J4-J4a N/B 53,478 38,023 37,254 55,830 42,327 39,088 
			 J4-J4a S/B 40,041 25,768 27,217 40,831 28,540 27,729 
			 J4a-J5 N/B 69,405 48,635 45,625 71,464 50,323 46,634 
			 J4a-J5 S/B 70,390 46,741 47,930 73,468 51,561 50,167 
			 J9-J10 N/B 83,014 60,449 63,278 (3)— (3)— (3)— 
			 J9-J10 S/B 73,895 54,189 60,821 75,131 60,137 63,948 
			 J10-J10A N/B 70,794 51,854 52,065 72,062 55,853 56,592 
			 J10-J10A S/B 64,983 48,449 54,183 65,653 53,371 59,118 
			 J10A-J11 N/B 48,969 37,057 37,428 49,652 39,948 41,379 
			 J10A-J11 S/B 44,385 34,081 37,315 44,727 37,605 40,843 
			 J12-J13 N/B 62,246 45,902 45,822 62,853 48,988 50,290 
			 J12-J13 S/B 62,238 43,724 50,872 62,699 46,714 55,597 
			 J6-J7 N/B (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— 
			 J6-J7 S/B 64,609 42,419 44,772 67,000 48,470 46,643 
		
	
	(3) No data

Traffic Volume

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average 24 hour traffic volume at the (a) J6-J7 and (b) J9-J10 automatic traffic counters on the M42 on (i) Mondays to Fridays, (ii) Saturdays and (iii) Sundays has been in each month since January.

Stephen Ladyman: The traffic flows for the period from January to April 2005 are provided in the table.
	
		
			  Junction 6 to Junction 7 Junction 9 to Junction 10 
			 2005 Northbound Southbound Northbound Southbound 
		
		
			 January 
			 Monday to Friday 58,310 (4)— 36,027 33,992 
			 Saturday 36,250 (4)— 21,298 20,761 
			 Sunday 43,293 (4)— 22,729 22,809 
			  
			 February 
			 Monday to Friday 62,561 (4)— 38,715 36,137 
			 Saturday 42,366 (4)— 25,169 23,659 
			 Sunday 48,433 (4)— 25,611 25,859 
			  
			 March 
			 Monday to Friday 63,784 (4)— 38,466 36,304 
			 Saturday 45,973 (4)— 25,737 25,579 
			 Sunday 48,952 (4)— 25,776 25,868 
			  
			 April 
			 Monday to Friday 65,771 (4)— 39,993 37,999 
			 Saturday 47,987 (4)— 26,480 26,290 
			 Sunday 52,956 (4)— 27,764 27,443 
		
	
	(4) No data available.

Train Commuters

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) passengers in excess of capacity and (b) total number of passengers figure was (i) for each London commuting service train operator and (ii) in total, broken down into (A) am peak and (B) pm peak figures measured in the annual survey in 2004; and how many peak passengers into London there were for (1) am peak periods, (2) pm peak periods and (3) in total for each London commuting service train operator.

Derek Twigg: The results of the autumn 2004 counts will be published at the end of this month. The results of the autumn 2003 counts are shown in the following table. The Passengers In Excess of Capacity" (PIXC) mechanism monitors services into London in the morning peak and out of London in the evening peak.
	
		
			  am peak pm peak 
			 Operator Load PIXC (percentage) Load PIXC (percentage) Total (am and pm) 
		
		
			 Chiltern 9,191 3.3 8,157 0.8 2.1 
			 South Central 69,127 4.7 52,083 1.1 3.1 
			 Connex South Eastern 118,162 3.1 92,048 0.5 2.0 
			 Great Eastern 47,739 2.1 46,358 2.1 2.1 
			 C2c 26,643 1.3 23,619 0.6 1.0 
			 Silverlink 18,824 6.0 17,395 2.1 4.2 
			 South West Trains 81,670 7.4 70,373 2.8 5.2 
			 Thames 11,054 2.0 8,977 0.9 1.5 
			 Thameslink 27,131 2.3 23,218 2.7 2.5 
			 WAGN 47,367 1.5 43,003 1.3 1.4 
			 Total 459,908 3.8 385,231 1.5 2.7

Vehicle Excise Duty

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions in the last 12 months for which figures are available when the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) initiated court proceedings against people who were believed not to have paid excise duty (VED), the DVLA (a) withdrew proceedings and (b) lost a case in court because the vehicle keeper showed that he or she had paid VED; how much the DVLA estimates such proceedings cost public funds; what steps the DVLA will take to improve its administration procedures to avoid the initiation of this type of unnecessary proceedings; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: In the 12 months to the end of March 2005 DVLA successfully prosecuted 189,418 cases in court for vehicle excise duty (VED) evasion. DVLA was unsuccessful in 3,400 cases. A breakdown of why these cases were unsuccessful is not available but the main reason is likely to be that VED was paid after the summons had been issued.
	DVLA asks for a minimum of £35 to cover the costs of the whole procedure from initiation of enforcement proceedings to attendance in court.
	The agency makes every effort to avoid court action. Initial action against VED evaders is taken through the offer of an out of court settlement which offers the offender the opportunity to settle the matter without recourse to court proceedings. Around 27 per cent. of evaders make use of this procedure.

Vehicle Excise Duty

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost of collecting vehicle excise duty in the latest year for which information is available.

Stephen Ladyman: The total cost of collecting vehicle excise duty in 2004–05 was £119.5 million.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Bereavement Allowance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) widows and (b) widowers are receiving bereavement allowance; and how many of these are over 55 years and claiming the full rate of benefit.

James Plaskitt: The information is in the following table.
	
		Bereavement allowance recipients in Great Britain, as at September 2004
		
			   All bereavement allowance recipients in Great Britain Bereavement allowance recipients aged 55+ and receiving the full rate 
		
		
			 Male 5,300 600 
			 Female 14,400 6,300 
			 Total 19,700 6,900 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.
	2. The full rate for bereavement allowance at September 2004 is £79.60.
	3. Bereavement allowance figures include both age related and non-age related recipients.
	4. Figures exclude overseas recipients.
	Source:
	Information Directorate, 5 per cent. sample

Bereavement Allowance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) widows and (b) widowers have received the lump sum bereavement benefit of £2,000 within the last 12 months.

James Plaskitt: The information is in the following table.
	
		Number of successful claims for bereavement payment in the last 12 months, by gender.
		
			  Total successful claims Total successful claims; female Total successful claims; male 
		
		
			 April 2005 2,983 1,838 1,145 
			 March 2005 2,891 1,772 1,119 
			 February 2005 2,862 1,805 1,057 
			 January 2005 3,420 2,203 1,217 
			 December 2004 2,445 1,567 878 
			 November 2004 2,786 1,746 1,040 
			 October 2004 2,853 1,848 1,005 
			 September 2004 2,604 1,721 883 
			 August 2004 2,397 1,512 885 
			 July 2004 2,476 1,601 875 
			 June 2004 2,749 1,770 979 
			 May 2004 2,635 1,636 999 
		
	
	Source:
	Management Information Systems Programme 04 (MISP 04)

Cost-benefit Analyses

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which employment programmes have had a cost benefit analysis produced; and if he will place copies in the Library.

Margaret Hodge: Evidence on the cost effectiveness of the New Deal for Young People programme has been produced by the Policy Studies Institute and the National Institute of Economic and Social Research and is available in the Library in 'Findings from the Macro Evaluation of the New Deal for Young People, DWP Research Report 168.'
	A preliminary cost benefit analysis of New Deal for Lone Parents programme was carried in house by DWP economists, using results from the independent evaluation of the programme carried out by the National Centre for Social Research. The findings were published in 'New Deal for Lone Parents: Second Synthesis Report of the National Evaluation', DWP Evaluation Report W163 June 2003 and is also available in the Library.
	This Department is currently producing cost benefit analyses of other major labour market programmes using an improved and more consistent method on a rolling basis. Results are expected to emerge from this autumn and as produced they will be made available under the Department's Freedom of Information procedures.

Earnings-related Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost of increasing the basic state pension to the level of the guarantee credit, linking that level to the growth of average earnings, abolishing the winter heating allowance and pensioner means-tested benefits, and introducing these charges for all pensioners aged over (a) 65, (b) 67, (c) 70 and (d) 75 years in each year from 2005–06 to 2050–51.

Stephen Timms: Such information as is available is in the table:
	
		Cost of raising the level of the basic State Pension to the guaranteed credit level while abolishing pension credit and thewinter fuel payment
		
			 £ billion 
			 Age: 2005–06 2010–11 2020–21 2030–31 2040–41 2050–51 
		
		
			 Over 65 5 10 25 50 80 113 
			 Over 67 5 8 22 43 72 101 
			 Over 70 4 6 17 34 60 84 
			 Over 75 2 4 10 21 40 61 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The costs are for Great Britain in 2005–06 price terms, using the Gross Domestic Product deflator index, rounded to the nearest £1 billion.
	2. Basic State Pension (BSP) expenditure is estimated by the Government Actuary's Department, consistent with Budget 2005 assumptions, made using 2003 based population projections.
	3. Pension credit and the winter fuel payment expenditures are estimated by the Department for Work and Pensions forecasts based on 2005 Budget assumptions.
	4. The eligibility to the basic State Pension is assumed not to change and to achieve the minimum basic State Pension payable (25 per cent.) a person will normally need 10 or 11 qualifying years.
	5. It is assumed that the full rate of basic State Pension is increased to the level of the individual guarantee credit in 2005–06 and is increased in line with earnings. Category B pension paid to married women and basic State Pension paid to people entitled to less than the full rate of basic State Pension are increased by the same proportion.
	6. Both pension credit and the winter fuel payment are assumed to be abolished for the different age groups from April 2005 with no payments to existing pensioners and no new recipients after 2005.
	7. These figures do not take into account any offsets of tax.
	8. Entitlement to additional State Pension, housing benefit, council tax benefit and other pensioner benefits are all assumed to be unchanged.
	Under this proposal the pensioners already in receipt of pension credit would be no better off and a substantial number of pensioners would be worse off. This would be because they would lose pension credit and winter fuel payments and any additional amounts that pension credit gives them for caring responsibility, disability and certain housing costs.

Housing Benefit

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average housing benefit payment in (a) the London borough of Haringey and (b) Greater London has been in each of the last eight years; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 13 June 2005
	The information is in the table.
	
		Average weekly housing benefit payments in London borough of Haringey and the Government Office Region of London
		
			 £ per week 
			 As at November: Haringey London 
		
		
			 1997 70.50 60.94 
			 1998 72.13 62.45 
			 1999 73.59 65.59 
			 2000 77.97 68.78 
			 2001 84.23 73.55 
			 2002 93.73 81.69 
			 2003 99.23 84.42 
			 2004 108.51 92.42 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
	2. The average amounts have been rounded to the nearest penny.
	3. Figures for any non-responding authorities have been estimated.
	4. Housing benefit figures exclude any Extended Payment cases.
	Source:
	Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock-count taken in November 1997 to 2004.

Housing Benefit

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average housing benefit payment in each London borough has been in each of the past five years.

James Plaskitt: The information is in the following table:
	
		Average weekly amount of housing benefit in London by local authority: November 2000 to 2004
		
			 £ 
			  November 
			 Local authority 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Barking 53.29 55.94 58.73 64.26 70.29 
			 Barnet 80.93 85.58 93.04 101.49 112.09 
			 Bexley 64.73 68.29 73.16 74.92 82.13 
			 Brent 86.20 92.40 103.40 103.83 113.25 
			 Bromley 68.23 70.94 78.23 79.63 83.98 
			 Camden 73.83 77.81 88.48 85.19 92.05 
			 City of London 66.54 67.44 78.53 73.15 79.44 
			 Croydon 71.02 75.37 82.50 84.97 91.67 
			 Ealing 73.98 78.74 86.20 93.65 103.31 
			 Enfield 73.35 82.99 97.97 99.92 108.85 
			 Greenwich 57.96 60.87 63.96 66.12 70.33 
			 Hackney 65.98 71.00 79.71 75.88 87.02 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 67.82 74.11 81.92 82.66 90.40 
			 Haringey 77.97 84.23 93.73 99.23 108.51 
			 Harrow 82.15 92.28 105.66 109.49 117.34 
			 Havering 54.44 58.25 61.02 60.68 67.11 
			 Hillingdon 72.21 77.60 83.41 94.76 98.98 
			 Hounslow 62.44 65.13 71.93 78.21 84.20 
			 Islington 62.31 66.45 71.52 73.61 80.54 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 79.88 83.02 95.50 91.36 104.41 
			 Kingston upon Thames 73.46 78.94 87.17 91.04 97.08 
			 Lambeth 62.00 65.68 74.60 74.53 82.67 
			 Lewisham 57.98 62.16 67.38 67.41 69.55 
			 Merton 63.75 67.30 72.54 76.14 83.13 
			 Newham 68.88 74.82 87.34 96.18 109.20 
			 Redbridge 86.37 90.67 98.13 104.82 119.18 
			 Richmond upon Thames 70.03 74.11 82.46 86.28 91.96 
			 Southwark 57.79 60.83 67.88 68.29 73.05 
			 Sutton 61.55 63.36 69.98 72.91 77.92 
			 Tower Hamlets 63.38 68.12 74.82 79.15 87.10 
			 Waltham Forest 65.86 70.28 78.22 78.71 88.53 
			 Wandsworth 72.46 76.70 82.81 86.46 93.41 
			 Westminster 90.78 97.50 114.58 115.51 126.83 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
	2. The figures are weekly amounts expressed in pounds and have been rounded to the nearest penny.
	3. Figures for any non-responding authorities have been estimated.
	4. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases.
	5. From April 2003 support costs were removed from housing benefit eligible rents, resulting in a decrease in the amount of housing benefit awarded. This accounts for the decrease in some of the figures at November 2003.
	Source:
	Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock-count taken in November 2000 to 2004.

Job Centre (High Wycombe)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how long it took for payments of (a) income support, (b) jobseeker's allowance and (c) incapacity benefit to be made to recipients who claimed those benefits at the Job Centre in High Wycombe in (i) 2001, (ii) 2002, (iii) 2003 and (iv) 2004.

James Plaskitt: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Lesley Strathie to Mr. Paul Goodman, dated 14 June 2005
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how long it took for payments of Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance and Incapacity Benefit to be made to customers who claimed those benefits at the jobcentre in High Wycombe in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The available information is in the table.
	
		Clearance times(5) for High Wycombe new claims
		
			 Days 
			 Benefit 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 IS(6)WA 14.4 14.8 19.4 23.3 15.63 
			 IS(6) MIG   (7)30.2 — — 
			 JSA 13.9 14.7 25.8 28 20.40 
			 IB 20.7 28.7 (8)34.6 (8)26.42 (8)14.43 
		
	
	(5) The clearance times figures in the table are mean figures taken over a 12 month period.
	(6) Income support 2001–02 includes Aylesbury claims and from 2002–03 includes all Bucks claims.
	(7) In 2002–03 claims for income support were processed separately according to whether they were from customers of working age or pension age (minimum income guarantee).
	(8) IB processed at Aylesbury so these figures relate to the district.
	Source:
	Bucks and Oxon District Jobcentre Plus
	The mean clearance times in the table show how long it took for a claim to be decided. Where payment is due to the customer at the time the claim is decided, it is made on the same day. If the claim is decided before the first payment is due, then payment is made on the following payday.
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobseeker's allowance

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many UK citizens living abroad are in receipt of jobseekers allowance.

James Plaskitt: None; one of the conditions of entitlement to jobseekers allowance is that the claimant be in Great Britain.
	In certain very limited circumstances jobseekers allowance can remain in payment during a temporary absence abroad.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the pensions industry about the number of people aged 53 years and over who remain contracted into the state second pension.

Stephen Timms: My colleagues and I have had wide ranging discussions with representatives of the pensions industry and these have included issues that relate to the current contracting-out arrangements.
	It is for individuals to decide and keep under review whether it is in their best interest to contract out, taking into account their attitude to risk and their personal circumstances. The Department is however committed to ensuring that people are properly informed of the issues involved so that they can make a decision that best suits their needs. This includes the fact that when they reach the age at which the age-related rebate is capped, currently age 54, most personal pension holders would be better off contracting back in.

Tax Credits

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of housing benefit and council tax benefit claims that will need to be reassessed as a result of overpayments of tax credits in the last 12 months; what assessment he has made of the cost implications for local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 13 June 2005
	No housing benefit or council tax benefit assessments need to be revisited solely because of an incorrect tax credit award. Both housing benefit and council tax benefit take into account the actual amount of tax credit in payment at the time. This means that when someone is getting a higher amount of tax credit than they are due, they will receive less housing benefit or council tax benefit. However, when the tax credit is reduced on account of an earlier overpayment, the individual will receive a higher amount of housing benefit or council tax benefit.
	This is easier for local authorities to administer and means that individuals receive, overall, the right amount of money. There should be no cost implications to local authorities.

Unemployment/Incapacity

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the numbers of (a) unemployed people and (b) people on incapacity benefit in each year between 1979–80 and 2005–06; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The information is in the table.
	
		Numbers of people claiming unemployment benefit (UB), jobseekers allowance (JSA), invalidity benefit (IVB), incapacity benefit (IB) or severe disability allowance (SDA) in Great Britain in each year
		
			  UB/JSA claimants IVB/IB and SDA working-age claimants 
		
		
			 1979 1,011,000 720,000 
			 1980 1,289,000 731,000 
			 1981 2,068,000 751,000 
			 1982 2,426,000 798,000 
			 1983 2,656,000 860,000 
			 1984 2,779,000 937,000 
			 1985 2,886,000 1,037,000 
			 1986 2,946,000 1,089,000 
			 1987 2,660,000 1,152,000 
			 1988 2,142,000 1,237,000 
			 1989 1,665,000 1,348,000 
			 1990 1,553,000 1,453,000 
			 1991 2,169,000 1,582,000 
			 1992 2,637,000 1,754,000 
			 1993 2,773,000 1,946,000 
			 1994 2,502,000 2,102,000 
			 1995 2,202,000 2,443,000 
			 1996 2,004,000 2,486,000 
			 1997 1,521,000 2,543,000 
			 1998 1,290,000 2,539,000 
			 1999 1,197,000 2,570,000 
			 2000 1,046,000 2,620,000 
			 2001 930,000 2,653,000 
			 2002 910,000 2,658,000 
			 2003 899,000 2,666,000 
			 2004 823,000 2,644,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
	2. working-age" includes men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59.
	3. Invalidity benefit was replaced by incapacity benefit in 1995. The IB/SDA figures from 1995 onwards include incapacity benefit short-term lower-rate benefit cases, so cannot be directly compared with the pre-1995 figures.
	4. Invalidity benefit and incapacity benefit figures include credits-only cases.
	Source:
	UB/JSA—Claimant Count, Nomis.
	IVB/IB/SDA—Social Security Statistics (figures up to and including year 1996);
	IBQSE February quarters (figures from 1997 to 1994); and Client Group Analysis (figures for 1995 to 2004).

CABINET OFFICE

Civil contingency plans

Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which local authorities have produced (a) civil contingency and (b) emergency plans.

John Hutton: Local authorities do not currently have a statutory duty to undertake civil protection activity. The Government makes a contribution towards the cost of civil protection work undertaken by all principal local authorities, but does not systematically collect information on the emergency plans and business continuity plans that local authorities maintain.
	Part 1 of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004—which will come fully into force in November 2005—will establish a statutory framework for civil protection activity at the local level. The Act sets out clear roles and responsibilities for local responder organisations and establishes a basis for effective performance management. Under this legislation principal local authorities will be required to maintain both emergency plans and business continuity plans to the standards set out in the Regulations and statutory guidance that support the Act. English local authorities' performance against the requirements set out in the Act will be monitored by the Audit Commission as part of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment process.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Electoral Register

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what estimate she has made of the (a) number and (b) percentage of names on the current electoral register that were rolled forward from the previous year's register.

Harriet Harman: The information requested has not been collected by the Government. Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), appointed by local authorities for the purpose, have a statutory duty to compile and maintain electoral registers. The Representation of the People Regulations 2001 provide for the ERO to retain electors' details on the register where they have not returned the annual canvass form, unless they fail to return the canvass form the following year. These provisions were made to facilitate a more accurate and flexible electoral register.

Equality and Diversity

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how her Department promotes equality and diversity within the Department.

Harriet Harman: My Department carried out an audit of equality and diversity in 2003. This led to the initiation of a programme of work to take forward the recommendations of that review. Steady progress has been made in the key areas of delivering services to our communities, policy making, staff potential and leadership and compliance with diversity legislation.

House of Lords

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the Department's policy is on reform of the House of Lords.

Harriet Harman: I refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 7 June 2005, Official Report, column 535W to the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith).

Judicial Appointments

Vera Baird: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans there are to introduce part-time salaried judicial posts in the Crown court.

Harriet Harman: With effect from 1 April 2005 arrangements for salaried part-time working have been extended to all salaried judicial office holders below High Court level.

Magistrates

Graham Allen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of magistrates resident in Nottingham North; and if she will take steps to improve recruitment of magistrates in that constituency.

Harriet Harman: We do not have data showing magistrates by residence, the current number of magistrates serving in the Nottingham local justice area is 385.
	The Magistrates National Recruitment Strategy Implementation Paper published on 11 March 2005 sets out the progress made to date, and sets out how we will be working with advisory committees to recruit more magistrates, target recruitment where it is most needed, to raise the profile of the magistracy, and to improve the diversity of benches.

Legal Aid

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what percentage of solicitors firms have ceased performance of their (a) immigration legal aid and (b) family legal aid contracts before the expiry of the term of the contract in each of the last 10 years, broken down by region.

Bridget Prentice: The information requested is not available. The figures in the table set out the number of solicitors' offices with civil contracts with the Legal Services Commission (LSC). The figures date from 2000 when the new contracting regime was implemented. The initial contract lasted from 2000 to 2004, when a new three year contract was introduced.
	
		Family category—solicitors with controlled work contracts at start of year -- Contracts (percentage difference on previous year)
		
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
			  Number Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Birmingham 440 354 -20 317 -10 
			 Brighton 331 267 -19 240 -10 
			 Bristol 477 427 -10 420 -2 
			 Cambridge 408 364 -11 351 -4 
			 Cardiff 370 311 -16 292 -6 
			 Leeds 369 332 -10 319 -4 
			 Liverpool 120 95 -21 92 -3 
			 London 576 414 -28 395 -5 
			 Manchester 570 468 -18 457 -2 
			 Newcastle 279 254 -9 250 -2 
			 Nottingham 339 306 -10 286 -7 
			 Reading 308 255 -17 230 -10 
			 Grand total 4,587 3,847 -16 3,649 -5 
		
	
	
		
			  2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Birmingham 295 -7 256 -13 249 -3 
			 Brighton 207 -14 171 -17 159 -7 
			 Bristol 404 -4 383 -5 363 -5 
			 Cambridge 321 -9 295 -8 271 -8 
			 Cardiff 276 -5 257 -7 257 -0 
			 Leeds 304 -5 276 -9 276 -0 
			 Liverpool 83 -10 78 -6 76 -3 
			 London 354 -10 302 -15 303 -0 
			 Manchester 432 -5 374 -13 373 -0 
			 Newcastle 237 -5 224 -5 216 -4 
			 Nottingham 272 -5 254 -7 246 -3 
			 Reading 205 -11 181 -12 178 -2 
			 Grand total 3,390 -7 3,051 -10 2,967 -3 
		
	
	
		Family category—solicitors with general civil contracts at start of year (can do licensed work) -- Contracts (percentage difference on previous year)
		
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
			  Number Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Birmingham 440 381 -13 328 -14 
			 Brighton 331 282 -15 267 -5 
			 Bristol 477 464 -3 437 -6 
			 Cambridge 408 405 -1 371 -8 
			 Cardiff 370 344 -7 317 -8 
			 Leeds 369 359 -3 341 -5 
			 Liverpool 120 107 -11 97 -9 
			 London 576 505 -12 441 -13 
			 Manchester 570 523 -8 484 -7 
			 Newcastle 279 256 -8 250 -2 
			 Nottingham 339 318 -6 302 -5 
			 Reading 308 270 -12 240 -11 
			 Grand total 4,587 4,214 -8 3,875 -8 
		
	
	
		
			  2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Birmingham 309 -6 276 -11 277 0 
			 Brighton 233 -13 197 -15 188 -5 
			 Bristol 429 -2 406 -5 398 -2 
			 Cambridge 343 -8 315 -8 312 -1 
			 Cardiff 300 -5 281 -6 281 0 
			 Leeds 333 -2 283 -15 298 5 
			 Liverpool 95 -2 85 -11 81 -5 
			 London 406 -8 355 -13 359 1 
			 Manchester 458 -5 433 -5 400 -8 
			 Newcastle 242 -3 224 -7 223 0 
			 Nottingham 295 -2 269 -9 280 4 
			 Reading 222 -8 203 -9 196 -3 
			 Grand total 3,665 -5 3,327 -9 3,293 -1 
		
	
	
		Immigration category—solicitors with general civil contracts at start of year -- Contracts (percentage difference on previous year)
		
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
			  Number Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Birmingham 31 29 6 31 7 
			 Brighton 11 11 0 10 9 
			 Bristol 10 16 60 13 -19 
			 Cambridge 15 22 47 18 -18 
			 Cardiff 8 9 13) 9 0 
			 Leeds 20 28 40 28 0 
			 Liverpool 2 2 0 3 50 
			 London 299 311 4 327 5 
			 Manchester 17 28 65 26 -7 
			 Newcastle 6 14 133 16 14 
			 Nottingham 22 25 14 19 -24 
			 Reading 15 18 20 14 -22 
			 Grand total 456 513 13 514 0 
		
	
	
		
			  2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Birmingham 36 16 32 -11 29 -9 
			 Brighton 9 -10 8 -11 8 0 
			 Bristol 15 15 13 -13 10 -23 
			 Cambridge 14 -22 8 -43 7 -13 
			 Cardiff 10 11 10 0 10 0 
			 Leeds 29 4 23 -21 23 0 
			 Liverpool 3 0 3 0 3 0 
			 London 350 7 230 -34 215 -7 
			 Manchester 30 15 30 0 24 -20 
			 Newcastle 16 0 16 0 16 0 
			 Nottingham 22 16 15 -32 14 -7 
			 Reading 18 29 18 0 17 -6 
			 Grand total 552 7 406 -26 376 -7

Legal Aid

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what percentage of solicitors firms have refused the offer of civil legal aid contracts in each of the last 10 years, broken down by region.

Bridget Prentice: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) does not keep records of firms which refuse offers of a contract, only the changes in numbers for each year.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Correspondence

Hugo Swire: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he has taken to ensure that all official correspondence from his Department carries (a) an e-mail address and (b) a telephone contact number.

Jim Fitzpatrick: All departmental staff are encouraged to provide such details by using an agreed template when replying to correspondence.

Council Housing

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what percentage of local authority-owned properties in each London borough are fitted with (i) smoke alarms, (ii) fire doors and (iii) double glazing;
	(2)  what percentage of council-owned properties had their smoke alarms checked in the last 12 months, in each London borough.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Council Tax

Greg Hands: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what analysis his Department has undertaken of the potential effect of council tax revaluation in the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The terms of reference for the independent inquiry into local government funding by Sir Michael Lyons require him to make recommendations on how best to reform council tax, taking into account the forthcoming revaluation of domestic property. His report is due to be submitted by the end of the year to my right hon. Friends the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Sir Michael's work will inform the Government's decisions on council tax bands.

Council Tax

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what criteria have been drawn up for the council tax banding revaluation;
	(2)  whether he plans to increase the number of council tax bandings in England at the time of revaluation.

Phil Woolas: The terms of reference for the independent inquiry into local government funding by Sir Michael Lyons require him to make recommendations on how best to reform council tax, taking into account the forthcoming revaluation of domestic property. His report is due to be submitted by the end of the year to my right hon. Friends the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Sir Michael's work will inform the Government's decisions on council tax bands.

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much the Standards Board spent on external legal advice and representation in the investigation and Adjudicants Bench Hearing into the complaint against Westminster City Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Standards Board for England has incurred spending of about £50,000 on external legal advice and representation in respect of the case concerning Councillor Dimoldenberg.

Councils (Audit Fees)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the estimated audit and inspection fees to be levied by the Audit Commission for each individual council rated as excellent in their Comprehensive Performance Assessment will be in (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06.

Phil Woolas: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission. I will ask the chief executive to write to the hon. Member and to ensure the answer is made available in the Library of the House.

Departmental Union Representatives

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many trade union learning representatives there are in his Department.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not currently have a trade union learning representative. However, the Departmental Trade Union Side is consulted on our learning and development policies on a regular basis.

Disability Discrimination

Danny Alexander: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures will be used to ensure that local authorities meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 to promote equality for disabled people and eliminate unlawful discrimination, with particular reference to the diversity of needs of people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The general duty to promote disability set out in the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 will place positive, proactive responsibilities on public authorities to work towards a more equal society by mainstreaming disability equality into the way in which they carry out their functions. This includes local authorities and Government Departments (including the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister). The general duty will come into force in December 2006.
	The 2005 Act also enables Ministers to impose specific duties on public bodies such as local authorities. The purpose of imposing specific duties is to assist these public bodies to comply with the general duty to promote equality. Such duties might include the publishing of Disability Equality Scheme, or the monitoring of various indicators, particularly in relation to employment of disabled people.
	It will be the responsibility of each public authority to ensure that it is acting in compliance with its statutory duties. If the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) is satisfied that a public authority is not complying with its specific duties, it will be able to serve a compliance notice. This would require the authority to comply with its duties and inform the DRC of the measures it has taken. If necessary the DRC could ask the county court or sheriff court to order the authority to comply.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will publish a Disability Equality Scheme by December 2006, which will outline how the Office will meet its legal responsibilities.

Environmental Health Officers (London)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many environmental health officers were employed by each London borough per 1,000 population in the last year for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Faith Awareness Training

Paul Goodman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many civil servants in the Department received faith awareness training in 2004.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) ran a series of workshops specifically dedicated to faith awareness training during 2002–03. Just over 300 staff attended. There are no plans to repeat the programme at present. Our current approach is rather to integrate equality and diversity awareness into the design and delivery of training and development programmes across the ODPM.

Faith Communities

Paul Goodman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent consultations have been carried out by his Department with representatives of faith communities; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister maintains the Inner Cities Religious Council (ICRC). ICRC routinely meets three times a year for the purpose of consultation with faith communities. Recent agenda items have included consultations on the UK Sustainable Development Strategy, the Delivering Sustainable Communities Summit and the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Fire Service

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people were rescued alive by the fire service (a) from fires, (b) from fires in dwellings and (c) having been trapped or injured by industrial machinery in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of people rescued alive from fires by fire and rescue service personnel in England are shown for each year 1994 to 2003 in the following table.
	The number of people rescued having been trapped or injured by industrial machinery is not available centrally.
	
		
			  Rescued casualties(9) Rescued unharmed(10) All people rescued alive 
			  All fires Dwelling fires All fires Dwelling fires All fires Dwelling fires 
		
		
			 1994 2,072 1,815 1,150 901 3,222 2,716 
			 1995 2,317 2,034 1,155 918 3,472 2,952 
			 1996 2,442 2,138 1,022 864 3,464 3,002 
			 1997 2,684 2,347 889 701 3,573 3,048 
			 1998 2,545 2,300 959 811 3,504 3,111 
			 1999 2,511 2,252 1,413 1,043 3,924 3,295 
			 2000 2,728 2,641 2,155 1,627 4,883 4,268 
			 2001 2,671 2,412 1,409 1,176 4,080 3,588 
			 2002(11) 2,829 2,580 1,763 1,589 4,592 4,169 
			 2003(11) 2,735 2,441 1,606 1,427 4,341 3,868 
		
	
	(9) Based on all primary fires attended. Casualties include people who were injured or required a precautionary check-up.
	(10) Based on a grossed up 20 per cent. sample of primary fires attended.
	(11) Data include estimates for incidents not recorded during periods of national industrial action in 2002 and 2003.
	Source:
	Fire and Rescue Service FDR1 returns to ODPM.

Fire Service

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of firefighters in the Fire and Rescue Service was female in each year since 1997.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The percentage of female firefighters (wholetime and retained duty system) in the Fire and Rescue Service in England is set out as follows:
	
		
			 Date All Female Percentage female 
		
		
			 31 March 1997 45,049 382 0.8 
			 31 March 1998 44,702 407 0.9 
			 31 March 1999 44,940 473 1.1 
			 31 March 2000 44,637 548 1.2 
			 31 March 2001 44,694 632 1.4 
			 31 March 2002 44,594 753 1.7 
			 31 March 2003 44,679 938 2.1 
			 31 March 2004 44,871 1,081 2.4 
		
	
	Source:
	ODPM annual returns

Fire Service

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) railway and (b) aircraft accidents were attended by the fire service in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Number of railway and aircraft incidents attended by the fire and rescue service in England each year, between 1994–95 and 2003–04. The following table shows the breakdown of fire and non-fire incidents attended.
	
		
			  Railway (non-fire) Railway (fires) Total railway incidents Aircraft (non-fire) Aircraft (fires) Total aircraft incidents 
		
		
			 1994–95 96 121 217 259 6 265 
			 1995–96 93 110 203 309 41 350 
			 1996–97 75 132 207 317 29 346 
			 1997–98 131 109 240 299 40 339 
			 1998–99 92 138 230 378 52 430 
			 1999–2000 67 101 168 231 39 270 
			 2000–01 108 114 222 194 25 219 
			 2001–02 92 91 183 259 52 311 
			 2002–03 97 122 219 178 24 202 
			 2003–04 69 68 137 211 30 241 
		
	
	Note:
	Data include estimates for incidents not recorded during periods of national industrial action in 2002–03.
	Source:
	Fire and Rescue Service returns to ODPM.

Green Belt

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what powers (a) the Greater London Authority and (b) the regional chambers, have to create, amend, review or delete green belt designation.

Yvette Cooper: The creation, amendment, review or deletion of green belts is undertaken through the statutory development plan process, in accordance with the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. Any proposals to establish new green belts, or to change the general extent of existing green belts, should be considered as part of a review of the regional spatial strategy, or the London Plan, in the first instance. Detailed boundary changes would be made by local planning authorities through the preparation and review of local development frameworks.

House Building

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the requirement is for the number of houses to be built in Tamworth in each of the next 10 years.

Yvette Cooper: The requirement for housing is currently being considered through the Local Plan process. It would therefore be prejudicial to the proper planning process to pre-empt these considerations.
	The Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) for the West Midlands does not currently provide housing requirements at district level. The West Midlands Regional Assembly is currently undertaking technical work which will deliver district level requirements through a future review of the RSS. In the meantime Tamworth borough council is currently completing its Local Plan and has considered relevant advice in relation to the level of housing requirements. The Local Plan process is nearing the conclusion of its statutory process and we would expect annual requirements to be confirmed by spring 2006.

House Building

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of new build housing in Kettering borough up to 2021 he expects will take place on greenfield land.

Yvette Cooper: The Milton Keynes and South Midlands Sub-Regional Strategy, published on 17 March 2005, does not set targets for the proportion of greenfield land to be used for housing. This issue will be considered by Kettering borough council and the North Northamptonshire Joint Planning Unit when producing Local Development Document. However, a main aim of achieving Sustainable Communities in the sub-region, as stated in Strategic Policy 3 of the strategy, will be to maximise the contribution of 'previously developed land'.

Local Government

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Local Government Association on local government pensions; and what plans he has to tackle deficits in local government pension funds.

Phil Woolas: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister and I last met with the chairman of the Local Government Association at the first meeting of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) tripartite committee which was held on 24 May.
	The setting up of this committee was announced by my right hon. Friend on 18 March. It is chaired by my right hon. Friend, and includes representatives of local authority employers and trades unions. It will focus on the development and modernisation of the scheme, involving the local authority employers and trade unions who have an interest in its future and will consider what measures need to be put in place to ensure the scheme's affordability and sustainability. We want to ensure that local authority employees have a stable, strong pension scheme in which they have confidence. It is important that the balance is right between, on the one hand, the cost of the scheme to the taxpayer, and on the other hand, the value of the benefits which the scheme offers to current and future pensioners.
	Following the 31 March 2004 LGPS actuarial valuation exercise, the actuaries appointed by each of the funds in England and Wales have set employer contribution rates, with effect from 1 April 2005, so as to ensure the ongoing solvency of individual funds as required by the LGPS Regulations 1997. This exercise took account of each funds' funding strategy statement which sets out the deficit recovery period over which their liabilities are to be prudently managed.

Local Government

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the review of the Local Government Standards Board is expected to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the progress of the review.

Phil Woolas: It is expected that the review by the Standards Board for England of the code of conduct for local authority members will be concluded this autumn, following the end of the board's consultation exercise on 17 June. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will consider carefully any recommendations the board may make following its review.

Local Government

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the total cost of the Local Government Standards Board was in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The information requested is tabled as follows:
	
		£ million
		
			  Grant paid to the Standards Board for England 
		
		
			 2003–04 8.944 
			 2004–05 8.94 
			 2005–06 (12)9.181 
		
	
	(12) Expected.
	These figures represent the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's annual funding to the Standards Board. Grant funding enables the board and the Adjudication Panel to undertake the full range of their responsibilities, including the investigation by board officials of allegations of misconduct by local authority members, the issuing of guidance to authorities on conduct issues and the determination of cases by tribunals of Adjudication Panel members.

Local Government

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the daily fee paid to adjudicators sitting on a Local Government Standards Board adjudication panel is; whether there is a fee for preparatory 'reading in' work on a case; when the fees were last reviewed; when they are next expected to be reviewed; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The current daily fees payable to members of the Adjudication Panel for England are shown in the following table:
	
		£
		
			  Daily fee from 1 April 2005 
		
		
			 President of the Adjudication Panel 452 
			 Legal members of the Adjudication Panel 379 
			 Lay members of the Adjudication Panel 175 
			 Fee for cancellation of tribunal date 58 
		
	
	The fees were last reviewed with effect from 1 April 2005, and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister currently expects them to be reviewed again next year. No fee in addition to the daily fees listed above is payable.

Local Government

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many of the cases disposed of directly by the Local Government Standards Board (a) were not investigated, (b) had no evidence of a breach of the code and (c) resulted in no action being required in respect of the matters under investigation in each of the last three years.

Phil Woolas: This information is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Cases 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Not referred for investigation 1,689 2,144 3,029 
			 Investigations producing finding of no evidence of a breach of the code 113 154 310 
			 Investigations producing finding that no action is required in respect of the matters under investigation 225 462 947

Local Strategic Partnerships

John Pugh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the Government's policy is on hon. Members being members of local strategic partnerships.

Phil Woolas: The membership, structure and size of a Local Strategic Partnership (LSPs) should reflect both their aims and the breath of issues that fall within their scope. The precise membership of any partnership will depend on local circumstances and priorities. It is up to the LSP to decide who their members should be but LSP will only be effective if their core membership includes the public, private, community and voluntary sector.

London Housing Board

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria he used in making the decision to over-rule the London Housing Board's recommendation on investment allocations in 2004 to 2006

Yvette Cooper: Regional Housing Board recommendations on allocations for 2004–05 and 2005–06 were largely accepted in full. However the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister made changes for London, East of England and the South East to the balance of funding for different types of affordable housing. This was done in order to ensure sufficient investment in key worker housing in the three years to 2005–06.

Mobile Phone Masts

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is on mobile phone operators sharing telecommunications masts; what steps he has taken to encourage operators to do so; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Planning Policy Guidance Note 8, Telecommunications" (PPG8), makes clear the expectation that developers should provide evidence to local planning authorities that they have carefully considered the use of existing masts, buildings and other structures before seeking to erect any new mast, regardless of size. The authority may be justified in refusing prior approval or planning permissions if it considers the evidence regarding the consideration of such alternative sites is not satisfactory.
	Ministers in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister meet regularly with the Mobile Operators Association to discuss a range of issues including the operators' progress in meeting their 10 commitments which includes a commitment on site sharing. The UK network operators have established a cross-industry Site Share Working Group and have developed a database to facilitate the exchange of information on site sharing opportunities.
	On 4 April, it was announced that the Government will be commissioning research to identify the future direction of mobile phone technology and the future need for mast developments. The research will also look at the potential for increased sharing of masts.

Mobile Phone Masts

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what investigation his Department has undertaken into the fees charged by local planning authorities for planning applications for mobile telephone telecommunication masts; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Research was undertaken by Arup for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in 2003 to investigate the costs of handling planning applications in general. Using this as a basis, in September 2004 we issued a consultation document entitled Changes to the System of Planning Fees in England" and in December 2004 we published a second consultation document entitled Further Proposed Changes to the System of Planning Fees in England". Both these documents asked about the fees charged by local planning authorities for planning applications for mobile telephone telecommunication masts.

Negative Subsidy

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was taken in negative subsidy from (a) all councils and (b) Tamworth borough council in each of the last two years.

Yvette Cooper: Total negative subsidy in 2004–05 was £620,543,656. The equivalent figure, representing the total negative housing element for 2003–04 was £706,268,335. Negative subsidy generated by some councils is captured so that it can be redistributed to other authorities with an assumed deficit. It is not retained by central Government
	Negative subsidy for Tamworth in 2004–05 was £1,205,058. The borough's negative housing element in 2003–04 was £1,242,533.
	The definition of negative subsidy was changed by the Local Government Act 2003, which came into force on 1 April 2004. The figures given are directly comparable, though the terminology changed between the financial years.

New Build

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of new build residential properties in (a) England and (b) London have been purchased by (i) individuals not normally resident in the UK and (ii) companies not based in the UK.

Yvette Cooper: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Press Officers

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many press officers were employed by each London borough per 1,000 population in the last year for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Property Prices

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average price of a new build residential property excluding social housing in (a) England, (b) London, (c) Westminster and (d) Barnet was on the latest date for which figures are available.

Yvette Cooper: Figures from the HM Land Registry for 2004 give the following median prices for new properties sold:
	
		
			 Area Median price (£) 
		
		
			 England 175,000 
			 London 249,500 
			 Barnet 250,000 
			 Westminster 499,972 
		
	
	It is not possible separately to identify shared ownership sales from the source.

Rescue Services

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what resources have been (a) spent on and (b) allocated to the New Dimension programme for improving capacity in the rescue services; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government have announced funding for the New Dimension programme of up to £188 million in capital and committed to meeting the resource consequences of that investment. To date the Government have invested £116 million in capital in the programme, and announced up to £16 million per year to meet the crewing costs of that investment.

Road Safety

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many gritting lorries are owned by each London borough.

Jim Fitzpatrick: While we do not hold any up to date figures for the London boroughs we do know that TfL has 32 gritting lorries and four pavement gritters.

South East England Regional Assembly

Anne Milton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what powers the South East England Regional Assembly has (a) to amend, (b) to delete and (c) to review (i) green belt designation, (ii) area of outstanding national beauty designation and (iii) site of special scientific interest designation.

Yvette Cooper: The South East England Regional Assembly may propose changes to the green belt as part of their responsibility for preparing a draft new Regional Spatial Strategy for the South East (known as the South East Plan). All aspects of the South East Plan will be subject to public consultation and may be tested at public inquiry, before being finalised by Government. The Assembly have no powers to amend, delete or review Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Afghanistan

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce the supply of drugs from Afghanistan to the UK.

Paul Goggins: The UK, as lead nation, is supporting the Afghan Government in the implementation of their comprehensive National Drug Control Strategy. We are working with others to increase activity in all areas of their strategy over the coming year.
	As well as coordinating the activity of international partners, the UK is providing substantial financial and practical support—the Government will spend more than £50 million this year on counter narcotics work in Afghanistan, including £30 million on alternative livelihoods. In the last financial year we ran seven training courses on intelligence and investigation techniques for the Afghan Counter-Narcotics Police; supported five major seizures of opiates; provided a mobile forensic laboratory; and helped to establish regional law enforcement offices in seven provincial centres outside Kabul.
	In addition, the UK is working with Afghanistan's neighbours and other main transit countries to increase international effort, build capacity and improve operational co-operation.
	At our borders Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs deploy staff at ports and airports to cover high-risk arrivals. Officers use risk assessment techniques and specific intelligence, gathered from a variety of sources, to ensure that the resources available are utilised to best effect. They also use a range of equipment, such as drug detection scanners, to assist them.

Acceptable Behaviour Contracts

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many acceptable behaviour contracts have been made with Tamworth residents since October 2003.

Hazel Blears: The number of Acceptable Behaviour Contracts ("ABCs") made in the Tamworth area is not known as this information is not collected centrally. ABCs are voluntary agreements with no statutory basis and can be entered into by various local services such as local authority social services or housing departments, Youth Inclusion and Support Panels or the police. They are therefore unsuitable for central data collection.
	A recent survey carried out by the Home Office and sent to all Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships estimated that 5,383 ABCs were made between October 2003 and September 2004.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in (a) Guildford, (b) Waverley and (c) Surrey in each year since their creation.

Hazel Blears: The available information is given in the table.
	
		Number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued at all courts, as reported to the Home Office, where restrictions are imposed in local government authority areas in Surrey, by period, from 1 June 2000(13) to 30 September 2004 (latest available)
		
			  1 June 2000 to 31 December 2000 2001 2002 2003 1 January 2004 to 30 September 2004 Total 
		
		
			 Surrey 2 2 2 5 19 30 
			 Of which:   
			 Guildford Borough Council 1 — — 1 6 8 
			 Waverley Borough Council — — — — — — 
		
	
	(13) Between 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000 data were collected on aggregate numbers only by police force area (pfa). During this period no ASBOs were reported as issued within Surrey pfa.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in Devon and Cornwall since 1 January 2004; and if he will make statement.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 13 June 2005
	The number of antisocial behaviour orders issued at all courts in Devon and Cornwall, as notified to the Home Office, from 1 January to 30 September 2004 (latest available) is 49.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in (a) Bolton metropolitan borough council, (b) Bury metropolitan borough council, (c) Manchester city council, (d) Oldham metropolitan borough council, (e) Rochdale metropolitan borough council, (f) Salford city council, (g) Stockport metropolitan borough council, (h) Tameside metropolitan borough council, (i) Trafford metropolitan borough council and (j) Wigan metropolitan borough council since April 1999.

Hazel Blears: The available information is given in the table.
	
		Number of antisocial behaviour orders issued at all courts, as reported to the Home Office, where restrictions are imposed in local government authority areas within the Greater Manchester criminal justice system area, up to 30 September 2004 (latest available)
		
			 Area 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000(14) 1 June 2000 to 30 September 2004 
		
		
			 Greater Manchester 10 598 
			 Of which:   
			 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council n/a 49 
			 Bury Metropolitan Borough Council n/a 14 
			 Manchester City Council n/a 238 
			 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council n/a 70 
			 Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council n/a 39 
			 Salford Metropolitan Borough Council n/a 90 
			 Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council n/a 23 
			 Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council n/a 20 
			 Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council n/a 34 
			 Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council n/a 21 
		
	
	n/a = Not available.
	(14) Between 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000 data were collected on aggregate numbers only by police force area (pfa).

Asylum Seekers

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to bring forward proposals to hear asylum applications offshore; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The Government have no plans to introduce offshore processing of asylum applications.

Asylum Seekers

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to speed up the asylum process.

Tony McNulty: Our current targets for the processing of asylum claims are to: decide 75 per cent. of new asylum applications within two months; ensure that 65 per cent. of new substantive asylum applications are decided, including final appeal, within six months; take 60 per cent. of detained NSA designated list claimants who were certified as clearly unfounded and detained throughout the process from claim to removal within 14 days. In addition, as we made clear in the five-year strategy for asylum and immigration, Controlling our Borders: Making migration work for Britain" which was published in February 2005 [Cm 6472], we are planning to introduce faster, tightly-managed processes for all new asylum claimants. Existing detained processes will continue alongside new, faster, non-detained processes which are currently being developed and will be implemented in phases which will include tight case-management as a specific feature.

Cannabis

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has given to police officers on differentiating between varieties of cannabis with a high tetrahydrocannobinal content and varieties of lesser strength.

Paul Goggins: None. All varieties of cannabis are Class C drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Offences under the Act are not determined by cannabis's relative strength and neither is police action.

Children (Penal Custody)

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children have been received into penal custody on remand in each year since 1990, broken down by age.

Fiona Mactaggart: The number of persons aged under 18 received into prison establishments on remand, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system, is provided in the table. Information is not available for 1990 or 1991.
	
		Receptions of remand prisoners aged under 18 to prison establishments, by age(15)—England and Wales, 1992–2004
		
			  14 15 16 17 
		
		
			 1992 4 377 721 3,912 
			 1993 — 454 907 3,943 
			 1994 — 635 1,103 3,978 
			 1995 — 643 1,248 4,069 
			 1996 — 730 1,360 4,423 
			 1997 — 677 1,298 4,650 
			 1998 — 603 1,191 4,688 
			 1999 — 521 1,159 4,720 
			 2000 — 1,040 1,892 3,311 
			 2001 — 477 994 3,507 
			 2002 — 592 1,180 3,655 
			 2003 — 597 1,188 3,353 
			 2004 — 653 1,296 3,209 
		
	
	(15) Age at date of reception.

Community Support Officers

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide financial assistance to large rural parish councils that receive no regular police patrols to employ community support officers.

Hazel Blears: Community Support Officers (CSOs) are employed by police authorities, and their deployment is an operational matter for the chief constable. At the end of March there were 6,300 in England and Wales. Funding is being made available over the next three years to assist in the recruitment of 24,000 CSOs by 2008. The investment will help deliver our commitment that by 2008 every area in England and Wales will benefit from a dedicated, visible, accessible and responsive neighbourhood policy team.

Convictions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for each category of offence there were in (a) England and (b) Essex in the last year for which figures are available.

Fiona Mactaggart: The information contained in the table gives the number of offenders found guilty at all courts by category of offence for England and Essex, 2003.
	Statistics for 2004 will be available in the autumn.
	
		Number of offenders found guilty at all courts by offence type in England and Essex, 2003(16)
		
			 Offence type England Essex 
		
		
			 Violence against the person 35,283 702 
			 Sexual offences 4,100 77 
			 Burglary 24,138 410 
			 Robbery 7,112 84 
			 Theft and handling stolen goods 112,455 2,457 
			 Fraud and forgery 17,076 386 
			 Criminal damage 10,304 402 
			 Drug offences 47,172 896 
			 Indictable motoring offences 8,056 183 
			 Other indictable offences 48,419 799 
			 Summary offences (excluding motoring) 456,991 13,932 
			 Summary motoring offences 617,068 21,960 
			 All offences 1,388,174 42,288 
		
	
	(16) These data are on the principal offence basis

Crime

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of males in Leeds aged 40 or younger had a criminal record in the latest period for which figures are available.

Fiona Mactaggart: The data requested are not collected on a city or other regional basis. The most recent national figures on criminal careers were published in Home Office Statistical Bulletin, 4/01.

Crime

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which age group in Leeds had the highest rate of offending in the latest period for which figures are available.

Fiona Mactaggart: The data contained in the table give the number of offenders found guilty at all courts in Leeds, by offence and age group, 2003.
	Statistics on court proceedings for 2004 will be published in the autumn.
	
		Number of offenders found guilty at all courts in Leeds by offence group, age group and population, 2003(17)
		
			  Age group 
			  10 to 17 years 18 to 20 years 21+ years 
			 Offence group Found guilty Found guilty per 10,000 population Found guilty Found guilty per 10,000 population Found guilty Found guilty per 10,000 population 
		
		
			 Indictable 1,065 141 908 252 4,696 90 
			 Summary non-motoring 440 58 305 85 4,829 93 
			 Summary motoring 221 29 682 189 7,345 141 
			 All offences 1,726 229 1,895 526 16,870 323 
		
	
	(17) These data are on the principal offence basis.

Defence Systems and Equipment International Exhibition (Policing Costs)

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the estimated cost of policing the Defence Systems and Equipment International Exhibition in September is; and from which budget the funding will come.

Hazel Blears: The Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis is responsible for the operational management of, and allocation of funding by, the force. I will ensure that he receives a copy of the question and replies to you directly in response to your concerns.

Departmental Refurbishment Costs

Joe Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent on refurbishment costs for the first floor of Litherland House since his Department commenced its occupation.

Andy Burnham: Home Office Pay and Pensions Service took occupation of Litherland House in June 1998. Since that date £1,041,699.90 has been spent on works to the physical building.

Deportation

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recommendations for deportation in respect of convicted criminals have been made by the judiciary in (a) Crown courts and (b) magistrates courts in each of the last three years.

Andy Burnham: The number of recommendations for deportation in respect of convicted criminals made by the judiciary in the last three years was:
	
		
			  Number of recommendations 
		
		
			 Magistrates courts  
			 2001 19 
			 2002 24 
			 2003 45 
			   
			 Crown courts  
			 2001 609 
			 2002 543 
			 2003 488

Domestic Abuse (Shrewsbury)

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide financial assistance to establish a shelter for women who have suffered domestic abuse in Shrewsbury.

Paul Goggins: In 2003 the Government announced major investment in additional refuge provision in England over three years. A total of £32.1 million capital has been allocated (£15.7 million through the Housing Corporation and £16.4 million from the Homelessness and Housing Support Directorate in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister), to provide 427 units of new or improved accommodation.
	The allocation of funds was based on bids made by housing associations to the Housing Corporation. The bids were needs led and based on local priorities identified by local authorities in consultation with local domestic violence agencies. Priority was given to projects arising from local authority housing and homelessness strategy reviews. It was the responsibility of local authorities in partnership with the domestic violence agencies to identify gaps in refuge service provision at the time bids were being formulated.
	Although there is no actual refuge in Shrewsbury, there are currently two refuge provisions for victims of domestic violence within Shropshire.

Dovegate Prison

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug crimes there were at Dovegate Prison during 2004–05.

Fiona Mactaggart: In the period 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005 there were 158 proven offences against prison discipline involving drugs at HMP Dovegate, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system.

Dovegate Prison

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults on (a) staff and (b) prisoners took place at Dovegate Prison during 2004–05; how many instances there were of prisoners absconding or escaping from Dovegate Prison in that year; and how many instances there were of the finding of illicit alcohol at Dovegate Prison in that year.

Fiona Mactaggart: As recorded on the Prison Service IT system, in the period 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005 there were 44 assaults on staff and six assaults on prisoners at HMP Dovegate; there were no absconds or escapes from HMP Dovegate in that year; there were six proven offences against prison discipline for knowingly consuming alcohol at HMP Dovegate in that year.

Drink-driving

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of breath-testing of drivers resulted in withdrawal of driving licences in England and Wales in the last period for which figures are available.

Paul Goggins: Information taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database for England and Wales shows that the total number of driving disqualifications imposed for breath test and specimen offences in 2003 (latest available) was 84,767. This figure does not include disqualifications as a result of 'totting up' of points on driving licence under s.35 of the Road Traffic offenders Act 1988.
	Data for 2004 will be available early in 2006.
	Information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for the Scottish Executive and Northern Ireland Office respectively.

EU Accession Countries

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many citizens of EU accession state countries are registered to work in the UK.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 8 June 2005
	Provisional management information from the Worker Registration Scheme was published in the Accession Monitoring Report on 26 May 2005. The full report is available on the Home Office website at:
	www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ind/en/home/0/reports/accession_monitoring.html

EU Accession Countries

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many nationals of the EU accession countries have been convicted of crimes in the Greater London area in the last 12 months.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is not available. Data held on the Home Office Court Proceedings database do not include the nationality of the defendant.

EU Immigrants

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the number of people who have arrived in the UK from each of the new member states of the EU since their accession.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Malins, dated 14 June 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on the number of people who have arrived in the UK from each of the new member states of the EU since their accession. I am replying in his absence. (3630)
	The International Passenger Survey (IPS) provides information on visits to the UK. The figures cover visits of all lengths of stay and for all reasons (holiday visits; business visits; visits to friends or relatives; study visits; other tourists; migrants and non-tourists).
	The data included in the table below have been published, and continue to be available on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis. They can be accessed through the National Statistics website at the following address: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/Product.asp?vlnk=12222.
	
		Visits to the UK from residents of EU accession countries, May 2004 to April 2005 International Passenger Survey
		
			  Thousands 
			 Country Number of visits 
		
		
			 Accession-8  
			 Czech Republic 224 
			 Estonia 33 
			 Hungary 162 
			 Latvia 64 
			 Lithuania 97 
			 Poland 838 
			 Slovakia 140 
			 Slovenia 43 
			 Accession-8 total 1,604 
			   
			 Cyprus 51 
			 Malta 56 
			 Accession-10 total 1,711 
		
	
	Notes
	1. The numbers of visits are estimated from data collected by the ONS International Passenger Survey. This year-round survey interviews approximately one in 500 passengers at all major UK airports, sea ports, and tunnel routes, as they arrive in or depart from the UK.
	2. The data refer to number of visits to the UK rather than the number of people, since some may have travelled more than once.
	3. The data presented here relate to non-UK residents arriving in the country, either as returning residents or as visitors or new migrants.

Fly-tipping

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many successful prosecutions there were for fly-tipping in each local authority in England in the last five years;
	(2)  how many successful prosecutions there have been of individuals for (a) dropping litter and (b) graffiti in (i) Brent East and (ii) each local authority in England.

Hazel Blears: The available information is contained in the table and gives the number of defendants proceeded against and found guilty at all courts for fly-tipping" for petty sessional area, and by police force areas in England, 1999 to 2003.
	Statistics on court proceedings for 2004 will be published in the autumn.
	
		Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts for fly-tipping" offences(18)(5507860019), Brent petty sessional area and police force areas in England, 1999 to 2003
		
			  1999 2000 2001 
			 Court/police force area Proceeded against Found guilty Proceeded against Found guilty Proceeded against Found guilty 
		
		
			 Brent PSA(20) — — 1 1 4 3 
			
			 Police force area   
			 Avon and Somerset 2 2 — — 7 4 
			 Bedfordshire 5 3 — — 6 6 
			 Cambridgeshire 3 2 1 1 — — 
			 Cheshire 4 5 7 7 6 4 
			 Cleveland 4 4 8 5 2 1 
			 Cumbria 2 2 5 3 7 5 
			 Derbyshire 11 7 10 5 18 15 
			 Devon and Cornwall 10 7 12 10 14 12 
			 Dorset 1 1 2 2 1 — 
			 Durham 1 1 3 3 — 1 
			 Essex 10 10 22 15 18 11 
			 Gloucestershire 3 3 1 — 4 3 
			 Greater Manchester 15 13 31 24 29 25 
			 Hampshire 13 9 11 9 18 10 
			 Hertfordshire 14 12 8 7 17 14 
			 Humberside 8 8 4 3 7 6 
			 Kent — — — — 2 2 
			 Lancashire 32 22 41 30 23 19 
			 Leicestershire 16 11 10 8 15 11 
			 Lincolnshire 7 4 11 10 10 5 
			 Merseyside 5 4 9 7 21 18 
			 Metropolitan police(21) 90 37 90 55 138 102 
			 Norfolk 2 2 1 1 1 — 
			 North Yorkshire 9 9 3 2 10 7 
			 Northamptonshire 7 3 5 5 2 2 
			 Northumbria 15 10 33 31 9 10 
			 Nottinghamshire 2 2 12 9 10 9 
			 South Yorkshire 6 4 23 16 7 6 
			 Staffordshire 7 3 — — 2 2 
			 Suffolk 3 3 4 3 5 2 
			 Surrey — — 10 6 5 5 
			 Sussex 17 15 15 11 19 16 
			 Thames Valley 7 6 14 13 12 12 
			 Warwickshire 2 0 2 3 1 — 
			 West Mercia 13 10 9 8 28 12 
			 West Midlands 52 42 19 16 35 23 
			 West Yorkshire 21 17 32 26 30 22 
			 Wiltshire 5 4 6 6 7 7 
			 England 424 297 474 360 546 409 
		
	
	
		
			  2002 2003 
			 Court/police force area Proceeded against Found guilty Proceeded against Found guilty 
		
		
			 Brent PSA(20) 9 8 2 1 
			  
			 Police force area 
			 Avon and Somerset 10 5 4 3 
			 Bedfordshire 6 3 8 4 
			 Cambridgeshire — 1 — 1 
			 Cheshire 9 5 17 14 
			 Cleveland 6 3 9 6 
			 Cumbria 4 6 12 9 
			 Derbyshire 10 8 10 7 
			 Devon and Cornwall 19 15 20 14 
			 Dorset 7 2 1 2 
			 Durham — — 1 1 
			 Essex 8 5 13 11 
			 Gloucestershire 3 3 2 2 
			 Greater Manchester 31 30 39 30 
			 Hampshire 18 14 8 5 
			 Hertfordshire 13 10 23 15 
			 Humberside 27 16 35 25 
			 Kent 5 2 6 6 
			 Lancashire 66 58 33 22 
			 Leicestershire 7 6 — — 
			 Lincolnshire 13 14 9 7 
			 Merseyside 4 4 2 2 
			 Metropolitan police(21) 224 153 210 143 
			 Norfolk 2 2 1 1 
			 North Yorkshire 5 5 6 5 
			 Northamptonshire 6 5 3 1 
			 Northumbria 7 6 23 20 
			 Nottinghamshire 3 3 11 11 
			 South Yorkshire 15 13 17 11 
			 Staffordshire 4 4 1 — 
			 Suffolk 5 5 — — 
			 Surrey 21 15 11 9 
			 Sussex 14 11 9 5 
			 Thames Valley 22 15 27 23 
			 Warwickshire 12 10 6 5 
			 West Mercia 10 11 20 13 
			 West Midlands 37 30 46 34 
			 West Yorkshire 21 14 18 9 
			 Wiltshire 14 10 3 5 
			 England 688 522 664 483 
		
	
	(18) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(19) Includes offences under: Environmental Protection Act 1990, sections 33 (6) (8) (9), 34 and 59.
	(20) Includes those found guilty at the Crown court where Brent PSA was the committing court.
	(21) Includes City of London.

Jury Trials

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to bring into force part seven of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 to introduce the procedure for conducting complex criminal trials without a jury.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 7 June 2005
	An announcement will be made shortly.

Jury Trials

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research the Department has conducted into alternatives to jury trial.

Fiona Mactaggart: In formulating the provisions for trial without a jury in the Criminal Justice Act 2003, account was taken of information about alternatives to jury trial (including procedures used in other jurisdictions) available from a variety of governmental and academic sources, and of the previous consideration of this issue by the Roskill Committee and Sir Robin Auld's Review of the Criminal Courts of England and Wales.

Life Sentences

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are serving life sentences in England and Wales.

Fiona Mactaggart: On 30 April 2005 there were 5,814 persons serving life sentences in prison establishments in England and Wales, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system.
	Information on Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for my colleagues in the Scottish Executive and Northern Ireland Office.

Minicabs

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were (a) charged and (b) convicted of illegally operating an unlicensed minicab in each year since 1997.

Fiona Mactaggart: Statistics on the number of persons charged with a crime are not centrally collected.
	Available information from the Home Office Court Proceedings database on the number of offenders convicted of illegally operating an unlicensed minicab are contained in the table.
	Statistics on court proceedings for 2004 will be published in the autumn.
	
		Number of people found guilty of certain offences in relation to illegally operating an unlicensed minicab, England and Wales 1997 to 2003(22)
		
			 Offence description Statute Year Found guilty 
		
		
			 To ply for hire or to accept passenger for hire within a parking place Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984, Section 35 (7) 1997 2 
			   1998 — 
			   1999 3 
			   2000 1 
			   2001 1 
			   2002 24 
			   2003 1 
			 
			 Touting for hire car services in a public place Criminal Justice & Public Order Act 1994 Sec. 167 1997 170 
			   1998 159 
			   1999 147 
			   2000 127 
			   2001 141 
			   2002 182 
			   2003 194 
			 
			 Offences peculiar to stage carriage and public service Vehicles Metropolitan Public Carriage Act 1869 and order dated 30 December 1907 made thereunder by the secretary of State 1997 16 
			   1998 11 
			   1999 17 
			   2000 13 
			   2001 15 
			   2002 6 
			   2003 1 
			 Offences peculiar to stage carriage and public service Vehicles Town Police Clauses Act1847 sec 40–68 (except the offence of drunkenness under section 61) 1997 443 
			   1998 608 
			   1999 532 
			   2000 499 
			   2001 352 
			   2002 391 
			   2003 268 
			 
			 Triable either way & summary offences(23) Private Hire Vehicles(London) Act 1998 1997 * 
			   1998 * 
			   1999 — 
			   2000 — 
			   2001 — 
			   2002 — 
			   2003 — 
			 
			 Summary offences(23) Local Government (Misc Provisions) Act 1976 1997 n/a 
			   1998 n/a 
			   1999 n/a 
			   2000 n/a 
			   2001 n/a 
			   2002 n/a 
			   2003 n/a 
		
	
	* = Not applicable
	n/a = Not available
	(22) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(23) Offenders convicted for summary offences under the Private Hire Vehicle (London) Act 1998 and Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 cannot be separately identified as they form part of a miscellaneous group which cannot be analysed.

Murder

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will carry out his planned review of the law relating to murder.

Fiona Mactaggart: I plan to announce the way forward for the Murder Review shortly.

New Hall Prison

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women at New Hall Prison have been represented by a solicitor at an adjudication hearing in each case; and how many women awarded additional days in each of the last five years.

Fiona Mactaggart: This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Persistent and Priority Offenders

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what definition he uses of a persistent and priority offender; and what guidance has been given to local authorities.

Fiona Mactaggart: There is no national definition, as the Prolific and other Priority Offender (PPO) strategy was designed to allow local areas to tackle those offenders who are causing the most harm to their communities and have been identified locally through intelligence from the police and their partners.
	In July 2004, we issued guidance to Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships on the criteria which should be used in selecting prolific and other priority offenders. This recommended that selection should be based upon the nature and volume of the crimes an individual is committing; the nature and volume of other harm they are causing (e.g. as a result of their gang leadership or antisocial behaviour); and other local criteria, based on the impact of the individuals concerned on their local communities.

Police Convictions (Essex)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases there have been of police officers from Essex being convicted of offences, where all the proceedings have been completed, in each year since 2000.

Hazel Blears: Number of police officers in Essex police service convicted of criminal offences are as follows:
	
		
			  Officers convicted of a criminal offence 
		
		
			 1999–2000 6 
			 2000–01 7 
			 2001–02 6 
			 2002–03 6 
			 2003–04 7

Police Standards Unit

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evaluation has taken place of the Police Standards Unit since its inception; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The effectiveness of the Police Standards Unit (PSU) is subject to the same performance scrutiny regime as every other Unit of the Home Office. The Unit will shortly be publishing its annual report which will set out its accomplishments over the period 2004–05.
	In terms of the Unit's work with local areas, over 2003–04, the police forces with whom the PSU was engaged reduced volume crime by 13.3 per cent.—twice the rate of other forces in England and Wales.

Police/Crime Statistics (Wales)

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug rehabilitation places are available in prisons in Wales.

Fiona Mactaggart: There are 432 rehabilitation places available in prisons in Wales for 2005–06.

Police/Crime Statistics (Wales)

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners whose last place of residence before sentence was in Wales are held in prisons in England.

Fiona Mactaggart: Information is not recorded centrally on the home address of prisoners in England and Wales. Information is, however, held on the court that a prisoner is sentenced by.
	On 30 April 2005 there were 1,514 prisoners held under sentence in a prison establishment in England who were sentenced at a court in Wales, as recorded on the Prison Service central IT system.

Pre-sentence Reports

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many defendants in magistrates' courts in Greater London have been remanded (a) in custody and (b) on bail for pre-sentence reports in each of the last 24 months for which figures are available; how many of those have returned to court with no report prepared on the due date; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: Information on the number of defendants held in (a) custody and (b) bail, for pre-sentence reports are not held centrally.

Prison Population

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the prison population in England and Wales is, broken down by gender.

Fiona Mactaggart: On 30 April 2005 there were 70,466 males and 4,425 females held in prison establishments in England and Wales, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system.

Prisoners

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the prison population had previously served a period in prison as a convicted prisoner (a) in the latest year for which figures are available and (b) 10 years earlier.

Fiona Mactaggart: The table gives the percentage of the sentenced prison population with at least one previous sentence of imprisonment. The latest year for which figures are available is 2002. We do not have data readily available on previous sentences of imprisonment for those in prison 10 years earlier. The data for 1996 are shown as the earliest year for which these data are available.
	
		Sentenced prison population by previous sentences of imprisonment(24)
		
			 Percentage 
			  2002 1996 
		
		
			 No information(25) 9 9 
			 No previous sentence of imprisonment 38 46 
			 At least one previous sentence of imprisonment 53 45 
		
	
	(24) Based on a sample of those in prison under sentence on the 30 June 2002 and 1996 respectively. The numbers are then weighted to give an estimate for all those in prison under sentence at that time.
	(25) Data on the criminal history of the sentenced prison population are taken from the Offenders Index. It was not possible to find data on the criminal history of all convicted prisoners.

Prisoners

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of persons arrested for a trigger offence under the Criminal Justice Act 2003 have tested positive for drugs in the latest period for which figures are available.

Paul Goggins: The Criminal Justice Act 2003 introduced provisions for testing (for specified class A drugs) young people aged 14–17 years following charge for trigger offences. Adults may be tested at charge under provisions of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000.
	At present, neither adults nor young people are tested at the point of arrest, although provisions for testing of adults following arrest for trigger offences were introduced in the Drugs Act 2005. There are no current plans to introduce testing on arrest for young people.
	Testing on charge for young people is operational in 10 areas on a pilot basis. Management information collected in the pilot areas indicate that approximately 5 per cent. of those tested at charge test positive for specified class A drugs.

Prisons

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will break down by ethnicity the number of children received into (a) prison service custody, (b) secure training centres and (c) local authority secure children's homes in each of the last five years.

Fiona Mactaggart: The information requested is provided in the table. Information for prison establishments is as recorded on the Prison Service IT system. Annual figures are not available for prison establishments in 2003 as during this time the Prison Service implemented the 2001 Census ethnic categories.
	Information for Secure Training Centres and Local Authority Secure Children's Homes has been supplied by the Youth Justice Board.
	
		First receptions of persons aged under 18 to prison establishments, by ethnic group
		
			 England and Wales, 2000–04 
			  2000 2001 2002 2004 
		
		
			 Total 9,401 9,098 8,887 8,110 
			 White 7,756 7,316 7,008 6,370 
			 Black 1,153 1,243 1,224 — 
			 Mixed — — — 385 
			 Black or Black British — — — 916 
			 Asian or Asian British — — — 362 
			 South Asian 199 250 280 — 
			 Chinese or Other 133 171 265 49 
			 Unrecorded 160 118 110 25 
			 1991 census codes — — — 3 
		
	
	
		All offenders admitted to Secure Training Centres and Local Authority Secure Children's Homes by ethnic group
		
			 England and Wales, 2000–04 
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Total 1,308 1,674 1,592 1,856 1,797 
			 White 1,033 1,341 1,253 1,442 1,349 
			 Mixed 107 119 117 150 166 
			 Asian or Asian British 23 42 26 19 36 
			 Black or Black British 106 137 158 177 148 
			 Chinese or Other 7 3 14 25 20 
			 Unrecorded 32 32 24 43 78

Prisons

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women aged (a) under 16, (b) under 17 and (c) under 18 were in prison in London in each year since 1997.

Fiona Mactaggart: The population of females aged under 18 in prison establishments in London on 30 June in each year since 1997, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system, is provided in the table.
	
		Population of under 18 females held in prison establishments, by type of custody London, 30 June
		
			  Total Untried Convicted unsentenced Immediate custodial sentence 
		
		
			 Aged 15 
			 1997 — — — — 
			 1998 — — — — 
			 1999 1 — — 1 
			 2000 1 — — 1 
			 2001 1 — — 1 
			 2002 — — — — 
			 2003 — — — — 
			 2004 — — — — 
			  
			 Aged 16 
			 1997 2 — — 2 
			 1998 — — — — 
			 1999 3 — — 3 
			 2000 3 — — 3 
			 2001 1 — — 1 
			 2002 3 — — 3 
			 2003 — — — — 
			 2004 — — — — 
			  
			 Aged 17 
			 1997 12 2 4 6 
			 1998 5 4 1 — 
			 1999 7 3 — 4 
			 2000 11 3 1 7 
			 2001 8 4 2 2 
			 2002 10 1 4 5 
			 2003 11 7 2 2 
			 2004 9 4 3 2

Regional Offender Managers

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the salary rates are for regional offender managers; and whether they have been awarded salary increases in the last financial year.

Fiona Mactaggart: The regional offender managers are paid on senior civil service (SCS) pay band one which ranges from a minimum of £54,788 to a ceiling of £115,616. They will be due an increase on 1 April each year in line with the SCS pay award.

Sentencing Guidelines

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Sentencing Guidelines Council plans to produce guidelines on sentencing of (a) sex offenders and (b) persons found guilty of robbery.

Fiona Mactaggart: The role of the Sentencing Guidelines Council is to issue guidance on all aspects of sentencing. It is assisted in formulating its guidance by the sentencing advisory panel.
	The panel submitted advice on sexual offences to the council for consideration in March 2005. The advice on offences relating to robbery was presented in April 2004, and the advice itself was published in May 2004.
	It is anticipated that the guidelines for both sexual offences and robbery will be in place by the end of 2005.

Teenage Girls (Grooming)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government are taking to tackle the grooming" of teenage girls on the internet; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The Task Force on Child Protection on the internet was established in March 2001 in response to concerns about the possible risks to children after a number of serious cases where children had been groomed" via the internet.
	The work of the Task Force have focused on the needs of children and in particular teenagers, under the age of consent, who are considered to be most at risk from paedophile grooming".
	Arising out of its work, we introduced legislation to tackle the sexual grooming of children under 16 both online and offline in the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Section 15 of the Act makes it an offence for a person aged 18 or over to meet intentionally, or to travel with the intention of meeting, a child under the age of 16 in any part of the world, if he has not met or communicated with that child on at least two prior occasions, and intends to commit a sexual offence against that child either at the time of the meeting or on a subsequent occasion. The offence has a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment.
	To cover the kind of behaviour which might precede a meeting, and enable the police to take action at an earlier stage, Sections 123 to 129 of the Act provide for a new civil preventative order, the Risk of Sexual Harm Order (RSHO). The police can apply for this civil order against any person aged 18 or over who is thought to pose a sexual risk to children under 16, provided that on at least two occasions, the defendant has done one of the acts listed. The acts include, among other things, communicating with a child, where any part of the communication is sexual. The minimum duration of an order is two years. Breach of an order, without reasonable excuse, is a criminal offence with a maximum penalty on indictment of five years' imprisonment.
	The work of the Task Force has also extended to four national awareness campaigns since 2001 at a cost of over £3 million. These campaigns, carried out through cinema, radio and online advertising, have highlighted the measures that can be taken to promote safety online, and the new risks posed by emerging technology. In addition, over 1.5 million copies of a leaflet for parents called Keeping your Child Safe on the Internet" have been distributed to schools in conjunction with the campaign. The Government have also provided online advice for children, parents and carers, in particular at www.thinkuknow.co.uk and www.parentscentre.gov.uk

Trafficking in Human Beings

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to ratify the Warsaw Convention on trafficking in human beings.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 13 June 2005
	The UK has not yet taken a decision on whether or not to sign the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, which opened for signature in Warsaw in May. There are certain provisions in the Convention which present concerns for the UK and which remain under active consideration. We want to resolve these issues before taking a decision on signature. We support fully all of the aims of the Convention and we too want to see widespread action to tackle this abhorrent trade at source, to protect and support the victims and bring those responsible to justice.

War Crimes

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made in the investigations for war crimes into the former members of the SS Galician division believed to be resident in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The enquiries into the Galician division continue. We have identified several hundred individuals in the UK who may still be alive. We are working with other Government agencies to explore lines of enquiry to gather any available evidence.

War Crimes

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will assess the merits of professional historians assisting the Metropolitan police in war crimes investigations; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Metropolitan police have in the past and continue to work closely with experts who provide valuable assistance to a wide range of investigations.

War Crimes

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the resources available (a) to the Metropolitan Police to investigate and (b) to the Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute alleged Nazi war criminals resident in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Metropolitan Police War Crimes Unit was disbanded in 1999. Responsibility then passed to the Anti-Terrorist Branch, which has a dedicated section to deal with Crimes Against Humanity. Expenditure is met from normal Metropolitan Police budgets. There are no current prosecutions.

War Crimes

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a list of suspected Nazi war criminals believed to be resident in the UK was supplied to the UK by the USSR in 1988; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: A list of 34 suspects was supplied by the Soviet Union in June 1988, having originally been sent to Scottish Television. All of those names were investigated as part of the War Crimes Inquiry.

Weapon Sales (Prosecutions)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many businesses have been prosecuted for the illegal sale of (a) knives, (b) replica guns and (c) firearms in (i) Brent East and (ii) each London borough in the last 12 months.

Hazel Blears: The available information on the Home Office Court Proceedings database shows that for Greenwich and Woolwich petty sessional area 2003 there were two defendants proceeded against for Selling a firearm to a person without a certificate" (Firearms Act 1968 Sec 3(2) as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Section 8, part III). There were no other prosecutions in London magistrates' courts for the requested offences as notified to the Home Office Court Proceedings database.

Witness Protection

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further measures he plans to bring forward to prevent criminals and terrorists using coercion to obtain access to the identity of persons within witness protection programmes.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 9 June 2005
	Police forces and other law enforcement agencies are responsible for providing witness protection and they make full use of measures such as relocation and identity changes where the risk to the safety of a witness is serious or life threatening.
	The provisions we have introduced in the Serious Organised Crime and Policing Act 2005 will greatly support this work. They provide an additional safeguard in the form of two new offences of disclosing information about protected witnesses or protection arrangements.
	Law enforcement agencies believe that the legislation will also assist them in a number of other ways, most importantly in placing a statutory duty on public and private bodies to assist protection officers in setting up protection arrangements. This will overcome many of the difficulties they face in obtaining the cooperation of such organisations. The provisions will also help programmes run more effectively by exempting protected witnesses who have had an identity change from criminal or civil liability in respect of failure to declare their original identities when asked to do so by these organisations.
	We also provide more practical support to protection officers through the Witness Mobility Service, which has helped speed up the completion of witness protection arrangements and ensure that witnesses are moved to a place of safety as quickly as possible. We are planning to expand on this service through the establishment of a central services unit which will provide law enforcement agencies with other essential witness protection needs. Work is now under way to set up the unit, which we hope will be operational by spring 2006.

Young Offender Institutions

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of stay for sentenced juveniles in each young offender institution was in the last period for which figures are available.

Fiona Mactaggart: The average length of stay per episode for a sample of sentenced prisoners aged under 18 who were discharged in 2003, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system, is provided in the table.
	
		Average time served (including remand time) for a sample of sentenced prisoners aged under 18 England and Wales, 2003
		
			  Average length of stay (days) 
		
		
			 All 84 
			   
			 Ashfield 96 
			 Brinsford 85 
			 Brockhill 84 
			 Bullwood Hall 98 
			 Castington 91 
			 Eastwood Park 75 
			 Feltham 83 
			 Hindley 82 
			 Hollesley Bay (Warren Hill) 114 
			 Holloway 24 
			 Huntercombe 99 
			 Lancaster Farms 67 
			 New Hall 143 
			 Onley 88 
			 Pare 23 
			 Stoke Heath 77 
			 Thorn Cross 62 
			 Warren Hill 60 
			 Werrington 84 
			 Wetherby 87

HEALTH

Waiting Lists/Times

Jonathan R Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on in-patient waiting times.

Patricia Hewitt: The NHS is continuing to make huge progress in providing faster access to hospital care. In 1997, 284,000 patients were waiting more than six months for operations; that number has now been reduced to 45,400 and by the end of the year it will be reduced to zero.

Waiting Lists/Times

Celia Barlow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the number of patients waiting over 13 weeks for an out-patient appointment.

Liam Byrne: There are now 30,222 patients referred by their GP who are waiting more than 13 weeks for their outpatient consultation, compared with 338,957 in June 1997. The NHS is on track to ensure that no patients are waiting more than 13 weeks by the end of 2005.

Hospitals (Lichfield)

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the progress of construction of the new hospital in Lichfield.

Caroline Flint: Work is currently under way for the provision of a new hospital to serve the residents of Lichfield and Burntwood. The new hospital will be located on the old St. Michael's hospital site in Lichfield and is scheduled for completion in winter 2006, receiving its first patients early in 2007.

Accident and Emergency Consultants (Lancashire)

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the availability of accident and emergency consultants in Lancashire.

Liam Byrne: Within the Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority area, the national health service trusts in Lancashire have a total of 17 accident and emergency consultants as at December 2004. The most recent centrally held information on vacancy rates indicated that in March 2004 there were two vacancies which trusts were actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more.

Dentistry

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of residents in the South Leicestershire primary care trust area are registered with an NHS dentist.

Rosie Winterton: At the end of March this year, there were 80,979 people registered with a dentist in the South Leicestershire Primary Care Trust area, which equates to 47.5 per cent. of the population.

Dentistry

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the NHS dental patient charges review.

Rosie Winterton: A Dental Charges Working Group, led by Harry Cayton, the Department of Health's Director for Patients and the Public, submitted proposals for a new system of dental charges to the Department last year. These proposals are being considered alongside information about the effects of the new pilot dentists' contracts on treatment patterns.

Dentistry

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State forHealth what plans she has to establish better working relations between private dentistry and NHS dentistry.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 9 June
	In March 2003, the Office of Fair Trading published a report of a market investigation, The private dentistry market in the UK", in response to a super-complaint from the Consumers Association. The report's main conclusion, which we accepted, was that consumers need better information to make properly informed choices about which dentists and treatments will best meet their needs. We have been working with the General Dental Council (GDC) on implementation of the report's recommendations. The GDC has just published a new version of its ethical guidance, Standards for Dental Professionals", which includes the requirement that dentists give full information on proposed treatments and possible costs. In addition, the Dentists Act 1984 Amendment Order 2005, which was laid before Parliament on 25 May, includes a power for the GDC to establish a new private complaints system to investigate and resolve complaints from patients who have received private dental treatment including instances where patients have not been given a well-informed choice between national health service and private treatment.

Dentistry

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms are in place to ensure there is (a) co-ordination and (b) no duplication between the work of Methods Consulting and individual primary care trusts in recruiting dentists from Poland.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 9 June 2005
	Methods Consulting, on behalf of the Department, only recruit dentists from Poland to posts submitted by strategic health authorities to the Department and subsequently approved as suitable for international recruitment.

Dentistry

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Polish dentists are practising in England as a result of the Department's central recruitment programme; and how many of those are working in the (a) General Dental Service, (b) Personal Dental Service, (c) Community Dental Service and (d) Hospital Dental Service.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 9 June 2005
	114 Polish dentists are practising in England as a result of the Department's central recruitment programme.
	All of these dentists are working under a personal dental service (PDS) contract. 108 are working in PDS pilots and six are based in the community dental service. None of the dentists work under a general dental services contract or are employed in the hospital dental service.

Dentistry

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure adequate provision of NHS dentistry in the Kettering constituency; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Northamptonshire Heartlands Primary Care Trust (PCT) has been allocated £298,000 to improve access to national health service dentistry, and plans to use these resources to provide more than 17,000 additional NHS dental patient registrations.
	A dental access centre (DAC) has been opened in Corby to provide NHS urgent treatment to patients who are not registered with a dentist. One Polish dentist has been recruited to work at the DAC and a further four dentists from Poland will be starting work in the PCT area later this year.

Dentistry

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date the Clayton Report on NHS dental charges was (a) commissioned and (b) delivered to her Department; and on what date it will be published.

Rosie Winterton: A dental charges working group, led by Harry Cayton, the Department's Director for Patients and the Public, was commissioned in June 2003 to consider and make proposals for a revised system of dental charges. The report on the group's work was submitted to the Department in March 2004. The group's findings are being considered alongside information about the effects of the new pilot dental contracts on treatment patterns. The written ministerial statement in January indicated that we would be consulting on a new system of dental charges in the summer. The Cayton report will be made available when we begin consultation on the draft charges regulations.

Primary Care Trusts

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has for the future structure of primary care trusts.

Jane Kennedy: Primary care trusts are central to improving the health of their populations by commissioning high quality care. As we implement the next stage of the national health service reforms, including practice based commissioning and streamlining NHS management, PCTs will need to change and develop. These changes need to reflect local circumstances and form part of a structured programme for the NHS as a whole.

Hospitals (Parking Charges)

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take steps to ensure further car parking charges at hospitals are not introduced.

Liam Byrne: It is a matter for individual national health service trusts to decide whether or not to charge for car parking, and the level of charges in the light of local circumstances. We have no plans to change this.

Stroke Care

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in improving stroke care for younger people.

Liam Byrne: The national service framework for older people, launched in 2001, covered specifically the development of stroke services for all ages, including younger people. Between 1998 and October 2004, the proportion of hospitals in England treating stroke patients that have a specialist stroke service rose from 45 per cent. to 90 per cent.

Venous Thromboembolism

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Government's response to the second report of the Health Committee, Session 2004–05, on the Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism in Hospitalised Patients, is expected to be published.

Caroline Flint: We are currently considering our response on this important topic of Venous Thromboembolism in hospitalised patients. It is our intention to respond to the Health Committee as soon as possible.

Acute Services (Northampton)

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to improve acute services in Northampton.

Rosie Winterton: The Northampton general hospital has benefited from an £11.2 million investment in cancer services, including three new linear accelerators.
	In addition, the Northampton general hospital NHS trust is also developing plans for a £300 million redevelopment of hospital services in Northampton. The strategic outline case has been approved by the strategic health authority and work is now in hand on the outline business case. It is hoped that work on the new hospital will begin 2010.

British Pregnancy Advisory Service

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has completed its investigation into the British Pregnancy Advisory Service; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Report was commissioned to the Chief Medical Officer by the previous Secretary of State. Decisions will be taken on the publication of the Report once the Secretary of State has considered the CMO's conclusions and recommendations. It would be inappropriate to comment any further at this stage.

Abortions

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many pregnancies were terminated in the United Kingdom in each year between 1975 and 2005 at fewer than (a) 28 weeks, (b) 24 weeks, (c) 22 weeks and (d) 12 weeks;
	(2)  how many terminations of pregnancy were carried out in the United Kingdom in each year between 1975 and 2005;
	(3)  how many patients under the age of 16 years had pregnancies terminated in each year between 1975 and 2004.

Caroline Flint: The available information is shown in the tables. The annual abortion data for 2004 will be published in July; the annual data for 2006 will be published next summer.
	
		Legal abortions: total number of abortions, number of abortions at age under 16, and abortions by gestation(26), residents of England and Wales, 1975 to 2003
		
			   Age in years Gestation weeks(27) 
			  Total under 16 0 to 11 12 to 19 20 to 23 24 and over 
		
		
			 1975 106,224 3,570 74,464 26,993 847 124 
			 1976 101,912 3,345 72,442 24,935 811 164 
			 1977 102,677 3,581 73,218 24,712 912 183 
			 1978 111,851 3,298 79,301 27,138 1,249 261 
			 1979 120,611 3,534 84,634 30,004 1,486 281 
			 1980 128,927 3,650 90,472 32,001 1,853 381 
		
	
	
		
			   Age in years Gestation weeks(27) 
			  Total under 16 0 to 12 13 to 22 23 to 24 25 and over 
		
		
			 1981 128,581 3,531 108,472 18,694 296 104 
			 1982 128,553 3,852 110,148 17,958 290 78 
			 1983 127,375 4,087 108,861 18,021 311 87 
			 1984 136,388 4,158 117,414 18,396 447 57 
			 1985 141,101 4,002 122,252 18,354 440 31 
			 1986 147,619 3,894 128,658 18,509 420 26 
			 1987 156,191 3,765 135,782 19,911 463 24 
			 1988 168,298 3,568 145,969 21,725 569 23 
			 1989 170,463 3,383 149,765 20,166 511 19 
			 1990 173,900 3,422 152,666 20,801 407 21 
			 1991 167,376 3,158 147,494 19,444 380 58 
			 1992 160,501 3,000 142,166 17,976 304 53 
			 1993 157,846 3,083 140,405 17,035 342 61 
		
	
	
		
			   Age in years Gestation weeks2 
			  Total under 16 0 to 12 13 to 22 23 to 24 25–27 
		
		
			 1994 156,539 3,246 139,207 16,927 323 49 
			 1995 154,315 3,270 137,696 16,226 330 25 
			 1996 167,916 3,645 148,819 18,614 397 59 
			 1997 170,145 3,434 151,667 18,013 399 36 
			 1998 177,871 3,759 158,327 19,036 445 30 
		
	
	
		
			   Age in years Gestation weeks(27) 
			  Total under 16 0 to 12 13 to 20 21 to 23(28) 24–27 
		
		
			 1999 173,701 3,603 154,682 17,274 1,654 58 
			 2000 175,542 3,748 154,908 18,790 1,745 65 
			 2001 176,364 3,658 154,869 19,458 1,936 66 
		
	
	
		
			   Age in years Gestation weeks(27) 
			  Total under 16 4 to 12 13 to 21 22 to 23(28) 24–27 
		
		
			 2002 175,932 3,733 153,730 20,840 1,245 73 
		
	
	
		
			   Age in years Gestation weeks 
			  Total under 16 4 to 12 13 to 21 22 and over 
		
		
			 2003 181,582 3,967 158,449 21,768 1,365 
		
	
	(26) The way gestation length has been grouped for publication has changed several times since 1975 and this is reflected in the tables.
	(27) Figures by gestation may not add to the total as they include terminations at gestations over 27 weeks and terminations at gestations unknown.
	(28) Includes 24 weeks and 0 days.

Alcohol Consumption

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average weekly consumption of alcohol for (a) men and (b) women has been in each of the last 10 years.

Caroline Flint: The average weekly alcohol consumption for 1992 to 2002 for men and women is shown in the table.
	
		Average weekly alcohol consumption (mean units per week) by sex: 1992 to 2002—Persons aged 16 and over, England
		
			  Men Women 
		
		
			 Unweighted   
			 1992 15.7 5.5 
			 1994 15.4 5.6 
			 1996 16.1 6.3 
			 1998 16.4 6.4 
			 Weighted   
			 1998 17.2 6.5 
			 2000 17.1 7.1 
			 2001 16.9 7.5 
			 2002 17.0 7.6 
			 Weighted base 2002 (thousands) = 100 per cent 16,781 19,160 
			 Unweighted sample(29) 2002 5,906 6,889 
		
	
	(29) Data for 1998 onwards are weighted for non-response; table shows unweighted and weighted figures for 1998 to give an indication of the effect of the weighting. For the weighted data, 1998 and 2000–02, the weighted base is the base for percentages. Bases for earlier years are of similar size and can be found in General Household Survey (GHS) reports for each year.
	Source:
	GHS, Office for National Statistics.

Antiviral Drugs

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the delivery of the stockpile of 14.6 million treatment courses of antiviral drugs, over and above the current stockpile of 100,000, for the purposes of combating avian influenza, will commence.

Caroline Flint: Monthly deliveries of antiviral drugs to create a national stockpile will commence in August 2005 and are due to be completed by December 2006.

Driving (Medical Fitness)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with her colleagues at the Department of Transport on the criteria for medical fitness to drive.

Caroline Flint: There have been no discussions with colleagues in the Department of Transport regarding the criteria for medical fitness to drive.
	Advice on the setting and application of standards and the impact of medical conditions on driving in general is given to the Secretary of State for Transport by six honorary medical advisory panels. These cover the major relevant conditions, that is vision, diabetes, cardiology, neurology, psychiatric conditions and alcohol and substance misuse. All nominations to the panels are approved by the Royal College of Physician.
	Any change to the standards set down in legislation will of course be subject to public consultation. The Department is included as a consultee in any such exercise.

Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the outcome of discussions held at the recent Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council meeting of 2–3 June was, with specific reference to (a) the Foods Supplements Directive, (b) pandemic influenza and (c) health claims made on foods.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 13 June 2005
	I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made on 13 June 2005, Official Report, columns 1–3WS.

Hemel Hempstead Hospital

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list key services set to transfer from Hemel Hempstead Hospital; and what the new location is in each case.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 13 June 2005
	The information requested is not held centrally. Our policy of Shifting the Balance of Power" means that the configuration of local services is a matter for the local national health service, working in partnership with its local community. Ministers have no formal part in this process, unless this matter is referred by the overview and scrutiny committee, and it would therefore not be appropriate for me to provide a detailed response to the comments made.
	Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Strategic Health Authority (SHA) is currently in the process of drawing up its outline business case (OBC) for the reconfiguration of health services in both counties. The SHA's OBC will be submitted to the Department for consideration in January 2006.

Hepatitis C

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will (a) set a maximum wait and (b) publish standards for levels of diagnosis and treatment for hepatitis C; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 6 June 2005
	The maximum waiting time for a first outpatient appointment following general practitioner (GP) referral has been reduced to 17 weeks and will continue to fall to a maximum of 13 weeks by the end of 2005. By 2008, the maximum wait from GP referral to start of treatment, including outpatient appointments and any diagnostic tests, will be 18 weeks.
	The level of diagnosis of hepatitis C will depend upon the number of individuals at risk of infection who are tested. In many cases, particularly those who injected drugs in the past, this will depend upon their coming forward. The recent and on-going awareness campaign aims to increase knowledge of hepatitis C among the public and particularly those who may have been exposed to the virus. Those at risk can then make informed decisions about whether to seek testing. Infected individuals can be referred for further specialist advice and treatment where indicated. There are currently no plans to set standards for the levels of diagnosis of hepatitis C, but progress will be monitored from the total number of laboratory-confirmed reports of hepatitis C infection collected by the Health Protection Agency.

Hot Weather-Related Conditions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) accident and emergency department attendances and (b) hospital admissions in England with a hot-weather related primary diagnosis, including sunburn, there have been in each year since 1997, broken down by age.

Caroline Flint: Diagnosis-specific data are not collected or held centrally on accident and emergency department attendances. However, it is collected by hospital admissions and the information available is shown in the table.
	
		Count of finished admissions, admitted via accident and emergency, primary diagnosis hot weather related illness including sunburn, split by age group 0–14, 15–64 and 65+, NHS hospitals in England 1997–98 to 2003–04
		
			  Finished admissions Age bands 
			  Total 0–14 15–64 65 + 
		
		
			 1997–98 162 44 85 33 
			 1998–99 127 45 72 10 
			 1999–2000 176 52 103 21 
			 2000–01 126 43 70 13 
			 2001–02 144 51 76 17 
			 2002–03 101 40 54 7 
			 2003–04 188 62 95 31 
		
	
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the UK influenza pandemic contingency plan will be updated to reflect the review of phases of pandemic influenza undertaken by the World Health Organisation.

Caroline Flint: The United Kingdom influenza pandemic contingency plan published on 1 March is currently being updated to take into account comments invited, and a revised version will be published within the next few months. The revised plan will reflect the review of the pandemic influenza alert phases undertaken by the World Health Organization.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures are in place to monitor the development by NHS organisations of multi-agency contingency plans for an outbreak of pandemic influenza.

Caroline Flint: Preparing for emergencies is part of the role of national health service trusts and includes arrangements for a multi-agency response. A designated influenza pandemic co-ordinator supported by an influenza planning committee in each primary care trust will have specific responsibility for the development, maintenance and testing of multi-agency contingency plans for a pandemic.
	In addition, strategic health authorities (SHAs) will be responsible for monitoring the preparedness of NHS trusts in their area. SHAs are also involved in the regional resilience forums, which have an important role in co-ordinating planning between different agencies.

Leukaemia (High Voltage Lines)

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government have commissioned research into a possible correlation between children living within 200 metres of high voltage lines at birth and risk of leukaemia; how many homes in England are estimated to be within 200 metres of high voltage power lines; and whether the Government plans to make recommendations regarding the safety of living near high voltage power lines.

Caroline Flint: The Department commissioned the work by Dr. Draper and colleagues on childhood cancer and distance from power lines, recently published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ Vol. 330, 4 June 2005). The study found higher rates of childhood leukaemia among those born within 600 metres of a power line compared with those born further away. The rate was higher for those born within 200 metres than those between 200 and 600 metres. The authors have no satisfactory explanations for the results in terms of causation by magnetic fields. A response statement has been provided by the Health Protection Agency's (HPA) radiation protection division and is available on its website at: www.hpa.org.uk/radiation.
	The study concerned high voltage power lines forming the National Grid in England and Wales, that is all 400 kilovolts (kV) and 275kV lines and a small fraction of 132kV lines. The National Grid Transco website notes that 139,000 homes in England and Wales, less than 1 per cent. of homes, are within 200 metres of their lines.
	A number of population studies in the past that have linked magnetic field exposure with a raised incidence of childhood leukaemia but with no corresponding explanation. This led to the International Agency for Cancer Research to classify extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields as a possible carcinogen". The World Health Organization and the HPA in this country have recommended additional research and, bearing in mind the scientific uncertainty, the need for further precautionary measures to be considered. Government officials have already started detailed discussions with industry, regulators, professional bodies and interest groups about how to respond and a stakeholder group has been set up with the intention of making practical and proportionate recommendations in the interests of society as a whole.

Monsanto's Toxin

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the health effects of Monsanto's toxin MON863.

Caroline Flint: MON863 is a genetically modified maize line, not a toxin.
	Each genetically modified food is assessed for safety on a case by case basis before it is approved for marketing. This includes a consideration of the genetic modification itself and resulting protein and toxicology, nutrition and allergenicity studies. A wide range of safety data on GM maize MON863 was assessed by the European Food Safety Authority's genetically modified organism panel, which concluded that the maize would have no adverse effect on human health. This conclusion was endorsed by the United Kingdom advisory committee on novel foods and processes.

Parkinson's Disease

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of whether there is a link between pesticide use and the risk of contracting Parkinson's Disease.

Caroline Flint: The independent advisory committee on pesticides (ACP) provides authoritative advice to government on all aspects of pesticides. Last November, the ACP considered a report produced by its medical and toxicology panel on the possible links between pesticides and Parkinson's disease. At its meeting, the ACP concluded that, although this review indicated a correlation between recalled pesticide exposure and Parkinson's disease, it did not point to a particular toxic mechanism or a hazard from a specific compound or group of compounds.
	However, the ACP did advise that further mechanistic and epidemiological research be carried out on the association between pesticide exposure and Parkinson's disease. The tender process has been organised by the pesticides safety directorate and has now finished. The research proposals are currently being peer reviewed with a view to the work being commissioned later this year.

School Meals

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Education and Skills on the setting of higher nutritional standards for school meals.

Caroline Flint: The Department for Education and Skills is leading on work to improve the school meals standards. The Department is supporting this work and Ministers and officials from both Departments have met regularly to discuss the setting of higher nutritional standards for school meals.

Second-hand Smoke

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to deal with the effect of second-hand smoke in the workplace.

Caroline Flint: Our plans were set out in the Queen's Speech for legislation to make the vast majority of enclosed public places and workplaces smoke-free within the next four years.

Soya Milk

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to introduce milk tokens for soya milk.

Caroline Flint: There are no plans to extend the scope of the current welfare food scheme tokens or the new healthy start vouchers to include soya based milk products. Expert advice from the committee on medical aspects of food policy concludes that soya milk is not as nutritionally adequate for infants and young children as cow's milk.
	This is because soya based milk products are lower in energy than cow's milk, lack sufficient amounts of several vitamins and minerals, especially iron and zinc and are particularly low in calcium unless fortified.
	Where a child has a diagnosed intolerance to cows milk a doctor may prescribe a suitable alternative. Prescriptions are, of course, free for children and those in receipt of income support.
	With the inclusion of fresh fruit and vegetables to healthy start the scheme will, as well as providing greater nutritional choice, accommodate the needs of those with an intolerance to cow's milk and the dietary choices of vegetarians and vegans.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Breast Cancer

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what targets have been set for (a) assessment and (b) treatment for breast cancer in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: In Northern Ireland, patients with suspected breast cancer are expected to be assessed by a specialist within two weeks of urgent referral by their GP. This two-week target for breast cancer patients has been in place since 1 August 2000. There are no formal targets for treatment time, but on the basis of the latest available information the vast majority of breast cancer patients receive treatment within six weeks of their diagnosis.
	The Regional Cancer Services Framework is considering waiting times for cancer patients and is developing recommendations, which aim to improve the treatment and care for all people with cancer.

British-Irish Summit

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the outcome of the seventh British-Irish summit held on the Isle of Man on 20 May.

Angela Smith: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland was very pleased, so early in his new role, to have the opportunity to meet the Taoiseach and the Heads of the other BIC Administrations. They considered the subject of Telemedicine and its potential to assist in the delivery of health and social care across all member administrations.
	The summit was highly successful and a copy of the official communique" detailing the discussions which occurred at the meeting has been placed in the Library of the House. It is also available at the following website address; http://www.britishirishcouncil.org/documents/iom_summit.asp

Cardiac Surgery

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients from Northern Ireland had cardiac surgery performed outside the Province in each of the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: The number of patients from Northern Ireland who had cardiac surgery performed outside the Province in each of the last five years is detailed in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of patients treated outside Northern Ireland 
		
		
			 1999–2000 n/a 
			 2000–01 n/a 
			 2001–02 254 
			 2002–03 401 
			 2003–04 333 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are not available for 1999–2000 or 2000–01.
	2. Figures relate to patients whose treatment was purchased by Health and Social Services Boards.

Civil Servants

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are employed within the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland, broken down by area of responsibility.

Shaun Woodward: The total number of staff employed by the Department, including Health Estates Agency is 1,037. A table showing the breakdown of staff, per area of responsibility, is as follows.
	
		Staff in post at 25 May 2005
		
			 Head of group Area of responsibility Number of staff 
		
		
			 Permanent Secretary Office of the Permanent Secretary 13 
			
			 Deputy Secretary, Resources and Performance Management Group Internal Audit Hyponatraemia Inquiry 18 
			  Personnel and Corporate Services 141 
			  Finance 59 
			  Information and Analysis 26 
			  Planning and Performance Management 27 
			
			 Deputy Secretary, Strategic Planning and Modernisation Group  2 
			  Modernisation Directorate 18 
			  Regional Strategy and Public Safety Directorate 30 
			  Human Resources 72 
			  Directorate of Information Systems 202 
			
			 Deputy Secretary, Primary, Secondary and Community Care Group  2 
			  Primary Care 29 
			  Secondary Care 22 
			  Mental Health and Disability Services 24 
			  Family and Elderly Care Directorate 27 
			 Chief Medical Officer Medical and Allied Services 26 
			  Public Health 1 
			  Health Services 1 
			  Health Development 35 
			  Medical Support Services 4 
			  Occupational Health Service 29 
			  Specific Services 4 
			  Employment Medical Advice 1 
			  Workforce Acute Services 1 
			
			 Chief Nursing Officer Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Group 12 
			
			 Social Services Inspectorate Social Services Inspectorate 22 
			  Childcare 20 
			
			 Chief Dental Officer Dental Services Group 9 
			
			 Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Pharmaceutical Advice and Services Group 11 
			
			 Chief Executive, Health Estates Agency Chief Executive and Corporate Services 17 
			  Estate Development 82 
			  Estate Policy 38 
			
			 Mental Health Commission  10 
			
			 Seconded Officers  2 
			
			 Total  1,037

Costello Report

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his answer of 25 May 2005, Official Report, column 116W, whether each pro-forma letter received by his Department in relation to the Costello Report is treated as a single letter of support or opposition.

Angela Smith: In addition to recommending that transfer from primary to post-primary school should be on the basis of informed parental and pupil choice, with no reference to academic ability, the Post-Primary Review Working Group Report made a number of key recommendations. These include the introduction of an Entitlement Framework" to guarantee pupils access to a wider choice of courses, and the development of a Pupil Profile. These and other recommendations have received a large measure of support, including from some of those opposed to the changes relating to academic selection. It is not, therefore, feasible or appropriate to categorise correspondence received by the Department as simply either supporting or opposing the Report as a whole.
	Each letter received by the Department on these issues, whether part of a campaign or not, is treated on an individual basis.

Freedom of Information

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the costs to date for Northern Ireland Government departments resulting from individuals seeking information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not collected routinely and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Fuel poverty

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the population in Northern Ireland is categorised as fuel poor.

David Hanson: The Northern Ireland House Condition Survey 2001 indicated that 33 per cent. of the population in Northern Ireland were classified as fuel poor. It is expected that the interim House Condition Survey, which is due to be published later this year, will indicate a reduction reflecting the Department for Social Development's efforts to reduce fuel poverty.

Fuel poverty

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to tackle fuel poverty in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: The Department for Social Development's fuel poverty strategy which was launched last year sets stringent targets for the eradication of fuel poverty in vulnerable households and all social houses by 2010, and in non-vulnerable households by 2016. The Strategy is underpinned by a wide range of measures and programmes which both directly and indirectly tackle fuel poverty including the Warm Homes Scheme, winter fuel payments, cold weather payments and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's (NIHE) heating replacement programme. A Fuel Poverty Advisory Group and an Interdepartmental Group on Fuel Poverty have been established to monitor and review the fuel poverty strategy and ensure a partnership approach to tackling fuel poverty.

Hospital Consultants

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress in implementing the new consultant contract.

Shaun Woodward: The Department is fully committed to ensuring the full implementation of the new consultant contract in Northern Ireland at the earliest possible date, and continues to make progress towards this. Health and Personal Social Services employers have been instructed to agree job plans with consultants by 1 July 2005. Substantial additional funding has been provided to the Health and Personal Social Services to support implementation of the new contract and the Department is developing a range of measures to monitor implementation.

Housing Executive

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Housing Executive properties in each housing executive district in Northern Ireland are vacant; how many of those are awaiting refurbishment; and how many are available for use.

David Hanson: The information requested is not available in the form requested. However, the following table sets out by Housing Executive District office, the total number of vacant properties, and indicates those that have been identified for refurbishment and those that could be let. In addition the table shows those properties for which longer term use has still to be decided, because they are located in areas where there has been civil disturbance. Some of these may need repairs and may eventually come back into use. Also shown are those properties being used for decanting purposes and on which decisions on future use have still to be made. For completeness the table also shows those not available for letting due to planned demolition or sale.
	
		Vacant housing executive properties
		
			   In need of refurbishment Available for letting 
			 Housing Executive District Office area Total vacant Awaiting major repairs(30) Major programmed schemes(31) Undergoing urgent COT(32) repairs Awaiting relet Difficult to let 
		
		
			 Belfast 1 14 0 5 0 1 3 
			 Belfast 2 202 51 46 0 0 5 
			 Belfast 3 10 3 3 0 0 0 
			 Belfast 4 344 34 34 0 0 45 
			 Belfast 5 245 71 5 0 0 40 
			 Belfast 6 224 13 27 2 2 0 
			 Belfast 7 71 39 21 0 0 0 
			 Area total 1,110 211 141 2 3 93 
			
			 Bangor 188 18 76 0 0 0 
			 Newtownards 233 47 111 0 3 5 
			 Castlereagh 143 28 57 0 1 2 
			 Lisburn (A/S) 314 70 150 0 4 14 
			 Lisburn (D/F) 36 12 17 0 0 0 
			 Downpatrick 62 16 5 0 0 0 
			 Area total 976 191 416 0 8 21 
			
			 Banbridge 64 11 31 9 1 1 
			 Newry 132 16 42 1 0 0 
			 Armagh 118 15 43 0 1 36 
			 Lur/Brownlow 275 13 0 0 0 139 
			 Portadown 67 22 13 0 0 15 
			 Dungannon 111 12 2 0 0 46 
			 Fermanagh 29 14 1 0 0 4 
			 Area total 796 103 132 10 2 241 
			 Ballymena 258 40 31 0 2 66 
			 Antrim 195 11 66 0 2 0 
			 Newtownabbey 1 152 12 68 0 0 7 
			 Newtownabbey 2 157 34 1 0 0 0 
			 Carrick 112 12 21 0 0 6 
			 Larne 236 37 10 0 0 24 
			 Ballycastle 14 4 5 0 1 0 
			 Ballymoney 15 13 2 0 0 0 
			 Coleraine 133 6 11 20 1 19 
			 Area total 1,272 169 215 20 6 122 
			
			 Waterloo Place 103 23 4 0 0 11 
			 Waterside 74 25 20 0 0 5 
			 Collon Terrace 18 16 0 0 0 0 
			 Limavady 42 7 8 0 0 0 
			 Magherafelt 39 10 2 1 0 3 
			 Strabane 50 20 4 1 0 15 
			 Omagh 110 12 34 0 0 47 
			 Cookstown 30 9 0 1 1 0 
			 Area total 466 122 72 3 1 81 
			
			 NI 4,620 796 976 35 20 558 
		
	
	
		
			  May or may not be brought back into use Not available for letting 
			 Housing Executive District Office area Civil disturbance Used for decanting Approved for sale Approved for demolition 
		
		
			 Belfast 1 0 5 0 0 
			 Belfast 2 5 5 0 90 
			 Belfast 3 0 1 0 3 
			 Belfast 4 38 63 1 129 
			 Belfast 5 2 3 1 123 
			 Belfast 6 89 6 2 83 
			 Belfast 7 0 9 2 0 
			 Area total 134 92 6 428 
			  
			 Bangor 1 43 3 47 
			 Newtownards 8 21 5 33 
			 Castlereagh 0 31 0 24 
			 Lisburn (A/S) 1 57 0 18 
			 Lisburn (D/F) 0 7 0 0 
			 Downpatrick 0 8 1 32 
			 Area total 10 167 9 154 
			  
			 Banbridge 0 6 1 4 
			 Newry 0 38 0 35 
			 Armagh 0 13 6 4 
			 Lur/Brownlow 9 7 4 103 
			 Portadown 9 2 0 6 
			 Dungannon 32 3 3 13 
			 Fermanagh 6 4 0 0 
			 Area total 56 73 14 165 
			  
			 Ballymena 8 21 0 90 
			 Antrim 0 14 94 8 
			 Newtownabbey 1 1 31 0 33 
			 Newtownabbey 2 4 80 0 38 
			 Carrick 1 20 0 52 
			 Larne 9 5 0 151 
			 Ballycastle 0 4 0 0 
			 Ballymoney 0 0 0 0 
			 Coleraine 55 13 0 8 
			 Area total 78 188 94 380 
			  
			 Waterloo Place 0 21 0 44 
			 Waterside 2 18 4 0 
			 Collon Terrace 0 0 0 2 
			 Limavady 1 26 0 0 
			 Magherafelt 6 4 1 12 
			 Strabane 4 5 0 1 
			 Omagh 6 8 3 0 
			 Cookstown 0 15 4 0 
			 Area total 19 97 12 59 
			  
			 NI 297 617 135 1,186 
		
	
	(30) Dwellings identified as requiring major improvements
	(31) Dwellings where work is under way
	(32) Change of Tenancy Repairs

Housing Executive

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent in each housing executive district in Northern Ireland on accommodating those on the waiting list for housing in hostels, hotels or bed and breakfast establishments in each of the past five years for which figures are available.

David Hanson: The information is not available in the form requested, or for the period specified. The Housing Executive makes use of a variety of types of housing such as self-contained or hostel accommodation and shared" accommodation which may be a house in multiple occupation or a bed and breakfast establishment. However, the following table details expenditure on all temporary accommodation by Housing Executive administrative area and the out of hours service for the financial years 2003–04 and 2004–05.
	
		Temporary accommodation expenditure 2003–04 and 2004–05
		
			  Expenditure (£) Expenditure (%) Expenditure (£) Expenditure (%) 
			 Housing Executive administrative area 2003–04 2003–04 2004–05 2004–05 
		
		
			 After hours services (province wide) 46,868 0.5 94,677 1.1 
			 Belfast 4,486,946 53.5 3,785,300 47.8 
			 North East 877,552 10 702,853 9 
			 South 441,072 5 518,276 6.5 
			 South East 1,417,812 17 1,569,957 20 
			 West 1,206,910 14 1,234,306 15.6 
			 Total 8,477,160 100 7,905,369 100

Housing Executive

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of those on the waiting list for housing in each Housing Executive district in Northern Ireland are being accommodated in hostels, hotels or bed and breakfast establishments.

David Hanson: The information requested is not available. The Housing Executive has however provided details of the numbers placed in all forms of temporary accommodation, by its district office, as follows:
	
		Number of cases currently in temporary accommodation
		
			 Housing Executive District Office area Total 
		
		
			 Belfast 1 60 
			 Belfast 2 18 
			 Belfast 3 129 
			 Belfast 4 46 
			 Belfast 5 2 
			 Belfast 6 58 
			 Belfast 7 39 
			 Homeless Advice Centre 302 
			 Belfast Area 654 
			   
			 Antrim 7 
			 Ballycastle 1 
			 Ballymena 33 
			 Ballymoney 3 
			 Carrickfergus 7 
			 Coleraine 49 
			 Lame 4 
			 Newtownabbey 1 2 
			 Newtownabbey 2 7 
			 North East Area 113 
			   
			 Armagh 5 
			 Banbridge 4 
			 Dungannon 15 
			 Fermanagh 24 
			 Lurgan Brownlow 8 
			 Newry 9 
			 Portadown 10 
			 South Area 75 
			   
			 Bangor 16 
			 Castlereagh 11 
			 Downpatrick 53 
			 Lisburn Antrim Street 65 
			 Lisburn Dairyfarm 70 
			 Newtownards 16 
			 South East Area 231 
			   
			 Collon Terrace 32 
			 Cookstown 5 
			 Limavady 0 
			 Magherafelt 0 
			 Omagh 3 
			 Strabane 7 
			 Waterloo Place 67 
			 Waterside 30 
			 West Area 144 
			   
			 Northern Ireland total 1,217

Housing Executive

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are on the waiting list for housing in each housing executive district in Northern Ireland; and how many of those have been on the list for (a) less than one month, (b) between two and six months, (c) between six and eight months, (d) between eight and 10 months, (e) between 10 and 12 months and (f) longer than 12 months.

David Hanson: The information requested is as follows:
	
		Housing executive waiting list by district office and length of time on the list
		
			 Housing executive district office <1 month 1<2 months 2<6 months 6<8 months 8<10 months 10<12 months >12 months Total 
		
		
			 Antrim 27 42 161 86 63 58 300 737 
			 Armagh 5 36 124 55 56 46 262 584 
			 Ballycastle 3 14 70 21 18 18 131 275 
			 Ballymena 33 66 208 94 95 78 508 1,082 
			 Ballymoney 5 11 65 32 44 25 145 327 
			 Banbridge 6 29 94 44 28 25 195 421 
			 Bangor 24 80 250 109 103 89 862 1,517 
			 Belfast 1 6 44 144 62 58 43 625 982 
			 Belfast 2 12 84 274 114 93 86 825 1,488 
			 Belfast 3 6 34 121 61 67 45 615 949 
			 Belfast 4 11 58 131 49 57 59 542 907 
			 Belfast 5 10 60 153 47 53 35 313 671 
			 Belfast 6 7 65 185 99 62 68 637 1,123 
			 Belfast 7 18 79 324 139 146 133 949 1,788 
			 Carrickfergus 3 45 164 53 65 64 455 849 
			 Castlereagh 15 54 167 97 71 50 536 990 
			 Coleraine 5 83 197 77 80 62 409 913 
			 Cookstown  33 90 28 24 20 115 310 
			 Downpatrick 2 40 177 94 90 55 470 928 
			 Dungannon 5 36 137 55 48 52 266 599 
			 Fermanagh 2 44 150 68 47 58 416 785 
			 Larne 7 38 84 35 28 21 177 390 
			 Limavady 7 36 97 30 32 31 170 403 
			 Lisburn Antrim Street 13 91 272 129 110 96 111 1,488 
			 Lisburn Dairy Farm 15 49 105 53 39 40 264 565 
			 Londonderry 1 10 48 133 57 55 52 328 683 
			 Londonderry 2 8 55 111 42 47 59 217 545 
			 Londonderry 3 12 46 115 54 47 47 264 585 
			 Lurgan 9 54 176 86 59 56 360 800 
			 Magherafelt 5 40 82 45 28 29 168 397 
			 Newry 7 55 252 118 105 101 737 1,375 
			 Newtownabbey 1 4 40 126 53 44 39 332 638 
			 Newtownabbey 2 11 42 123 59 51 49 340 675 
			 Newtownards 8 74 226 93 85 76 632 1,194 
			 Omagh 1 46 123 48 43 44 167 472 
			 Portadown 8 57 143 67 68 59 164 566 
			 Strabane 18 47 116 41 55 45 285 607 
			 Grand total 348 1,855 5,676 2,494 2,264 2,013 14,958 29,608

MRI Scans

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the most recent figures are for average waiting times for MRI scans in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: The information requested is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

MRI Scans

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent estimate he has made of the (a) waiting times and (b) number of patients waiting for an MRI scan at the (i) Ulster hospital, Dundonald and (ii) Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast.

Shaun Woodward: Data supplied by (i) Ulster hospital, Dundonald and (ii) Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast showing the latest available information on waiting times/lists for MRI scans is provided as follows.
	(i) (a) In-patient average waiting time 1–2 days. Out-patient average waiting time 3–4 weeks.
	(i) (b) 183 patients waiting.
	(ii) (a) Average waiting time for an urgent MRI scan is within six weeks. Average waiting time for a routine MRI scan is 3–9 months.
	(ii) (b) Approximately 1,200 patients waiting.

NHS Dentistry

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dentists were taking new NHS patients in Northern Ireland at the end of 2004.

Shaun Woodward: During the quarter ending December 2004, 654 dentists in Northern Ireland registered new patients for treatment under the NHS, that is, patients who had not been registered with them at the end of the previous quarter. These registrations may have resulted from patients moving between dentists or may have been re-registration of patients who have not attended the dentist for some time and whose registrations will therefore have expired. Registrations may also have been due to registering for the first time, for example, children or people coming to reside in Northern Ireland.

NHS Information Technology Systems

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who was instructed by the Eastern Health Board to produce a business case regarding implementing new information technology systems; when this instruction was given; what costs have been incurred; and if he will make a statement on progress.

Shaun Woodward: The information is not available in the form requested.

NHS Information Technology Systems

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans there are to improve information technology within the NHS in the Province.

Shaun Woodward: The Health and Personal Social Services (HPSS) Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Strategy, published in March 2005, sets out the long term vision for the use of ICT in the HPSS. It outlines a framework of activities to develop ICT in support of service modernisation. The HPSS ICT Programme, developed to deliver the HPSS ICT Strategy, was formally launched in March 2005. This programme encompasses the projects and activities required to develop and roll out new and enhanced ICT systems and support structures over a 10 year period, focusing on new and improved systems for electronic care records, electronic care communications and electronic information.
	Among the many activities identified, the HPSS ICT Programme aims to establish an electronic integrated record for each individual using community services by 2008, with electronic care records in use across the whole of the HPSS by 2010. Also by 2010, technology will be available to care professionals at the point of need, whether at remote locations or in clinics, hospitals or health centres. The programme will also introduce electronic transfer of pathology results and digital imaging which will enable early diagnosis. Electronic referral and booking systems as well as electronic prescribing will give patients more choice and convenience.

NHS Staff

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent by each health trust in the Province on temporary and locum staff in each of the last five years, broken down by profession.

Shaun Woodward: The information requested is provided as follows:
	
		
			 Year to: £000 
		
		
			 31 March 2000 8,665 
			 31 March 2001 13,155 
			 31 March 2002 16,837 
			 31 March 2003 23,022 
			 31 March 2004(33) 30,857 
		
	
	(33) From 31 March 2004 temporary staff are also included in this expenditure total.
	The figures provided in the table refer to expenditure classed as 'agency staff' in Health and Social Services Trust annual accounts. Only locum staff who are not placed on the payroll of the trust will be included in this category.
	The information is not available centrally broken down by profession, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Porphyria

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance is provided to sufferers of porphyria in the Province.

Shaun Woodward: Porphyria is not one single condition but a group of seven related disorders that can cause a variety of signs and symptoms. Most of the conditions are inherited but some may be acquired. The treatment provided to people with porphyria will depend on which type of porphyria a patient has and the severity of the condition. A patient may be seen by consultants from general medicine, chemical pathology, dermatology or a combination of these as appropriate. In addition, the medical genetics service can offer appropriate genetic advice and gene testing.

School Discipline

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidance is issued to teachers by his Department as to whether and when it is justifiable for a member of teaching staff to raise their voice when dealing with an unruly pupil or student.

Angela Smith: No specific guidance has been issued on this subject. The Department's publication Pastoral Care in Schools: Promoting Positive Behaviour", distributed to all teachers, contains advice on dealing with aggressive pupils and confrontational situations. The advice emphasises keeping the emotional temperature as low as possible and dealing with the situation calmly and quietly.

School Sport

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what target is set by his Department in relation to the weekly allocation of time for sport in schools in Northern Ireland; and what percentage of schools in each education and library board area currently meet that target.

Angela Smith: Physical Education is, and will remain, part of the statutory curriculum for all pupils from age 4 to age 16. My Department does not however specify the amount of time schools should spend on any particular subject. Schools themselves determine how much time is devoted to Physical Education in the curriculum, but they are encouraged to offer pupils at least two hours a week of Physical Education, including sport. My Department does not keep records relating to how much time individual schools allocate to PE.

Specialist Elective Surgery Units

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress on developing specialist elective surgery units in the Province.

Shaun Woodward: Developing Better Services (DBS) endorses the concept of specialist elective surgery units as a means of protecting planned surgery from the peaks of emergency treatment and care. In line with the ministerial announcement on DBS of February 2003, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has been working with the Health and Social Services Boards and Trusts to develop protected elective capacity across Northern Ireland. As specifically designated in the DBS announcement, protected elective units are now in place at Lagan Valley and South Tyrone Hospitals. Protected elective capacity has also been established at the Mater, Altnagelvin, Causeway and Erne Hospitals, and is planned for other locations.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Acts of Parliament (Internet Access)

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take stepsto make all Acts of Parliament published before 1988 for which his Department is responsible available on-line.

Jack Straw: The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO) within the Cabinet Office is the Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament, and responsible for the publication of Acts of Parliament. HMSO has considered the publication of Acts prior to 1988, which is the earliest date when these were available electronically, but has decided not to do so as many have been heavily amended and to publish them in their original form would be misleading for many users. The Government are, however, taking forward development of a Statue Law Database which will contain the fully revised and updated text of all legislation from 1275. It is expected that this will be made available to the general public during 2006.

Departmental Budget

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much of the budget for 2004–05 for public-facing activities has been spent to date, broken down by activity; and what future activities are planned.

Douglas Alexander: The budget for 2004–05 for EU presidency related public-facing activities was fully spent. The work undertaken included the creation of a presidency identity, designing presidency information materials and recruiting media relations and marketing support to communicate presidency priorities to the public from July to December 2005. In respect of future activities, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, South-West (Mr. Davidson) on 9 June 2005, Official Report, column 663W.

Departmental Budget

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at what level the budget for public-facing activity for 2005–06 has been set, broken down by activity, and what sums have been allocated to each (a) activity and (b) budget line.

Douglas Alexander: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 9 June 2005, Official Report, column 663W to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, South-West (Mr. Davidson).

Departmental Union Representation

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many trade union learning representatives there are in his Department.

Jack Straw: None. There have been no requests from trade unions in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for this facility.

EU Directives

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many EU directives have been issued (a) in each month since 2000 and (b) in each year since 1975.

Douglas Alexander: Based on the Official Journal of the European Union (Directory of Community Legislation in force and other acts of the Community institutions, Volume II, as at 1 January 2004) the approximate numbers of EC directives which have been enacted each year since 1975 are:
	
		
			  Number of directives 
		
		
			 1975 38 
			 1976 39 
			 1977 39 
			 1978 72 
			 1979 55 
			 1980 40 
			 1981 54 
			 1982 75 
			 1983 43 
			 1984 55 
			 1985 56 
			 1986 54 
			 1987 64 
			 1989 132 
			 1990 88 
			 1991 146 
			 1992 138 
			 1993 170 
			 1994 86 
			 1995 75 
			 1996 138 
			 1997 143 
			 1998 150 
			 1999 166 
			 2000 160 
			 2001 187 
			 2002 201 
			 2003 233 
			 2004 109 
		
	
	The number of directives adopted each month since 2000 is as follows:
	
		Directives 2000–05
		
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 January 12 4 3 21 13 11 
			 February 4 4 5 15 7 4 
			 March 3 3 7 15 17 6 
			 April 3 2 3 21 50 6 
			 May 2 8 6 17 — 2 
			 June 6 4 5 24 — 11 
			 July 2 6 8 18 — — 
			 August 4 4 1 9 1  
			 September 3 1 4 10 —  
			 October 4 4 5 10 8  
			 November 4 4 6 8 1  
			 December 3 1 15 25 12  
		
	
	A number of the directives adopted since 1975 will have been amended or repealed. But the exact figure is not held by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and it would incur disproportionate cost to obtain it.

European Constitution

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which provisions of the Treaty establishing a constitution for Europe can be made (a) without that Treaty being ratified and (b) under existing European treaties.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 13 June 2005
	I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's statement to the House on 6 June 2005, Official Report, columns 991–92, on the EU Constitutional Treaty.

European Court of Justice

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those decisions of the European Court of Justice where the court have found an item of European Community legislation to be in breach of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 13 June 2005
	European Court Report 1–8419.
	There have however been many cases over the years where the Court has been presented with legal arguments on the principle of proportionality. The Court's website provides a list of officially reported cases which refer to the principle. Some of these references are to summaries of the parties' pleadings; some are in opinions of the Advocates General; and some are in judgments of the Court. Because of the number of references to the principle of proportionality, I am unable to provide a comprehensive analysis of the instances in which the Court has struck down Community legislation on this basis due to the disproportionate cost that would be involved. The list can be found at:
	http://curia.eu.int/jurisp/cgi-bin/form.pl?lang=en&Submit= Submit&docj=docj&docop=docop&numaff=&datefs=&da tefe=&nomusuel=&domaine=&mots=%22principle+of+ proportionality%22&resmax=100
	Alternatively, a list of cases in which the Court dealt with legal questions on the principle of proportionality can be found in the 'Alphabetical Subject Matter' section of the Court's website (www.curia.eu.int) under 'Principes generaux du droit communautaire'. The case references are under the heading 'Proportionnalite"'. This section is only available in French.

European External Action Service

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what preparatory work has been carried out in relation to the European External Action Service.

Douglas Alexander: The preparatory work on the European External Action Service, as tasked by the October Intergovernmental Conference and the December European Council, has consisted of official level discussions and an issues paper" presented jointly by High Representative Solana and Commission President Barrosso. Discussions are at an early stage and no conclusions have been reached. The Commission and Council Secretariat have written a joint progress report on the official level discussion which the Government have placed in the Library of the House.

Falkland Islands (Fish Stocks)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to help maintain fish stocks in the seas surrounding the Falkland Islands.

Douglas Alexander: The Falkland Islands Government are responsible for the management and conservation offish stocks in the Falkland Islands Conservation Zones. Falkland Islands' fisheries legislation and policies establish a precautionary approach to the conservation, management and exploitation of fish stocks in Falklands' waters. A new draft Bill on Fisheries Conservation and Management, which is currently under consideration in the islands, contains provisions to strengthen this further. In parallel, the Falkland Islands Government operate an effective fisheries surveillance and enforcement regime to counter illegal fishing activities which represent a continuing threat to the conservation offish stocks in this region.
	The UK Government take part in the South Atlantic Fisheries Commission, a bilateral body established by the UK and Argentine Governments to address the conservation of straddling and migratory fish stocks in the South West Atlantic, and which provides a mechanism for scientific co-operation aimed at conserving the principal fish species straddling Argentine and Falklands waters. The Commission meets biannually.

Foreign State Awards

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will change the policy which prevents British citizens accepting and wearing foreign state awards; and if he will make a statement about the offer by the Malaysian Government to award the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal to British citizens who served between 1957 and 1966.

Jack Straw: The question of seeking permission for the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal to be accepted and worn by British citizens was raised formally by the Malaysian authorities in March, when their Deputy Prime Minister spoke to me about it. We have subsequently received more details about the proposal from the Malaysian High Commission.
	In the light of the Malaysian Government's request to present the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal to British Citizens, I have asked for certain principles of the Government's rules governing the accepting and wearing of foreign awards to be reviewed.

G8 Summit

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries have requested the deployment of armed service personnel on United Kingdom soil to guard (a) the G8 summit and (b) Prestwick Airport.

Jack Straw: The diplomatic mission of the country concerned makes requests for the protection of VIPs visiting the United Kingdom to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Where it is agreed that protection is appropriate, the Police Service provides that protection. For obvious reasons of security, details of requests submitted on protection provided are not made public.

Guantanamo Bay

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the United States Administration on inappropriate treatment of the Koran at Guantanamo Bay.

Kim Howells: We have expressed our concern to the US authorities about the conditions of detention at Guantanamo Bay on many occasions. British officials conducting welfare visits to the British detainees checked that the detainees' religious requirements were met.
	We understand that detainees are given copies of the Koran, prayer mats and Halal food, and that prayer calls are made throughout the Camp.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Iraqi Government to urge them to sign up to the Ottawa Convention; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: The United Kingdom is strongly committed to the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (the Mine Ban Treaty"). The UK was among the first states to sign and ratify the Convention, which entered into force on 1 March 1999, and is proud of its record with respect to implementation of the Convention. To be fully effective, the ban on anti-personnel landmines must be universal. The United Kingdom urges all states that have not signed the Convention to do so as soon as possible.

Iraq

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the state of the environment in Iraq, with particular reference to (a) oil pollution, (b) looted nuclear compounds and (c) chemical pollution.

Kim Howells: We welcome the appointment, in May 2005, of Narmin Othman as the new Minister of the Environment for Iraq. The Ministry was created under the Coalition Provisional Authority in 2003. Iraq faces many environmental challenges following the neglect and abuse inflicted by Saddam Hussein's regime. Getting an up to date Environmental Law on the statute books is an environmental priority.
	The UK Government are working closely with the Government of Iraq to develop the principles of good governance in the oil sector. In January and February this year the Tigris was polluted by oil slicks emanating from sabotaged pipelines. Booms were successfully deployed to prevent contamination of drinking water plants along the river. Oil pollution is also evident in the marshland and desert areas around Basra, particularly where saboteurs breached pipelines.
	We are aware of reports of people in the area of the Al Tuwaitha nuclear facility having looted drums and containers, emptied low-enriched uranium from them, and taken the containers off to use for water storage. Separate reports of children playing with the uranium powder on the site have also been made, but we have seen no confirmation of these. The site has now been secured, and the radio-active material there returned to safe storage. We are not aware of any further looting taking place, and much of the remaining material was subsequently removed from Iraq by US experts, with the consent of the Iraqi Interim Government and keeping the IAEA informed. Initial indications are that there was little or no immediate radiation sickness evident in the population, but there might well be longer term health risks to people who were exposed to radiation. An inter-agency task force was set up in Baghdad in October 2004 to take forward action on recovering radio-active material that has been taken from the site, and monitor the long-term health of people at risk of exposure to radiation.
	We have no information on chemical pollution in Iraq. However, disposal of chemical and hazardous waste is a significant problem. The US embassy estimates that there may be 5,000 chemical waste sites across Iraq which fail basic international environmental standards.
	The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has a $5 million programme in Iraq aimed at capacity building and in particular to train staff to assess the extent of environmental hazards. The Department for International Development has contributed £717,000 towards UNEP's work on post-conflict environmental assessment and to support the Environment Ministry.

Laptop Computers

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many laptop computers have been used by (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials in his Department in each year since 1995; how many have been (i) lost and (ii) stolen in that period; what the cost was of the use of laptops in that period; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: We do not have a central record of the numbers of laptops issued as budgets have been devolved to overseas post and UK directorates. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	One laptop computer has been centrally reported lost or stolen in the past two years. We do not have earlier records.

Lebanon

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the results achieved by Hezbollah in the recent parliamentary elections in South Lebanon.

Kim Howells: The Hizballah-Amal-Future list of candidates took all 23 seats in the elections held in South Lebanon on 5 June. We are looking for all parties, including Hizballah, to comply fully with the requirements of United Security Council Resolution 1559, and call on Hizballah to renounce terrorism and contribute towards regional security by not escalating tensions along the Blue Line.
	The three rounds of elections to date, in Beirut, South Lebanon and Mount Lebanon and the Beka'a have passed off without incident.

Overseas Corruption

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library the most recent guidance to UK embassies on overseas bribery.

Jack Straw: The latest guidance on foreign bribery to British diplomatic missions is already available in the Library of the House. The Government are in the process of reviewing this and will place the revised guidance in the Library of the House later this year.

Overseas Corruption

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many allegations of overseas corruption have been forwarded by UK embassies overseas to London; and how many of these allegations the Department has forwarded to the law enforcement authorities.

Jack Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) sends to the law enforcement authorities all allegations of overseas corruption where it is reasonable to believe that an offence may have been committed under Part 12 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. Since the Act came into force in February 2002, the FCO has forwarded a total of 18 such allegations, the majority of which originated in reports from overseas missions.

Race Relations (Amendment) Act

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what percentage of staff in his Department have received training on the general and specific duties of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, broken down by (a) ethnicity and (b) grade.

Jack Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) Valuing Diversity course includes a section on the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. This course is mandatory for all FCO staff. The course is delivered twice a month. In addition, staff who take on specific roles, for example heads and deputy heads of our overseas posts, and new staff joining the FCO, are briefed on diversity issues including the RR(A)A. Guidance for FCO staff on the RR(A)A is available on the FCO's internal intranet. This guidance includes the FCO's new Race Equality Scheme 2005–08, which is being circulated to all FCO departments and posts, and is available on our website, www.fco.gov.uk
	In the 2004–05 financial year, 340 members of staff, 5 per cent. of the total number of UK based FCO staff, attended. This is broken down by grade in Table 1.
	
		
			 Grade Numbers attended HCS grade equivalent 
		
		
			 A1 50 AA 
			 A2 56 AO 
			 B3 48 EO 
			 C4 41 HEO 
			 C5 19 SEO 
			 D6 29 Grade 7 (Principal) 
			 D7 8 Grade 6 (Senior Principal) 
			 SMS 23 SCS pay bands 1–4 
			 Unknown 66  
		
	
	Under the employment duty of the RR(A)A we are required to monitor employment factors such as recruitment and promotion. It has not yet been possible to collect data on staff applying for and attending training courses broken down by ethnicity. However, we are working to establish a mechanism to monitor training using the FCO's information management system, Prism. We have asked the development team for a standard report to be available on Prism which will enable ethnicity data to be taken from staff records for all training courses attended. This report should be available in about four months' time.

Romania

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit Romania; and what assessment he has made of the likely timetable for Romania becoming an EU member.

Douglas Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary would like to visit Romania when his diary permits.
	Romania signed its Accession Treaty with the EU on 25 April this year and is scheduled to join in January 2007 provided it fulfils its EU commitments. The Commission will produce a report for the Council of Ministers assessing Romania's progress against its EU obligations in autumn 2005.

Trafficking

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the UK's position is on the US State Department's citing of (a) Kuwait, (b) Saudi Arabia, (c) the United Arab Emirates and (d) Qatar for their responsibility for trafficking; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: Human trafficking is a global crime involving many source, transit and destination countries. We welcome the US State Department's 2005 Trafficking in Persons Report for raising awareness of the problem and seeking to promote action to resolve it. The UK is committed to doing all it can to combat trafficking, including working closely with governments around the world. We encourage those governments cited to increase their efforts to eliminate it.

DEFENCE

Absence without Leave

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many trained personnel have gone absent withoutleave in each of the services in each of the last five years.

Don Touhig: The number of service personnel 1 who have gone absent without leave in each of the last five years is as follows:
	
		Navy
		
			 Calendar year Total number reported AWOL (rounded to the nearest 5) 
		
		
			 2000 50 
			 2001 85 
			 2002 90 
			 2003 115 
			 2004 185 
		
	
	
		Royal Marines
		
			 Calendar year Total number reported AWOL (rounded to the nearest 5) 
		
		
			 2000 20 
			 2001 15 
			 2002 20 
			 2003 15 
			 2004 22 
		
	
	Figures include trained and untrained strength.
	
		Army
		
			 Calendar year Total number reported AWOL (rounded to the nearest 5) 
		
		
			 2000 2,725 
			 2001 2,670 
			 2002 2,970 
			 2003 2,825 
			 2004 3,005 
		
	
	
		RAF
		
			 Financial year Total number reported AWOL (rounded to the nearest 5) 
		
		
			 2000–01 20 
			 2001–02 15 
			 2002–03 25 
			 2003–04 25 
			 2004–05 40 
		
	
	Recording absence differs between the Naval Service, the Army and the RAF. The Naval Service and the Army record multiple periods of absence by the same person. However, the RAF registers an individual once, regardless of how many times they are absent within a financial year.

Afghanistan

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent by (a) the UK and (b) other allied countries in support of military and security efforts in Afghanistan since 2002–03.

Adam Ingram: The net additional costs of operations in Afghanistan are published each year in the Ministry of Defence's Annual Report and Accounts. Costs for financial year 2002–03 were £311 million and for 2003–04 £46 million. Costs for financial year 2004–05 will be published in the MOD's next Annual Report and Accounts in the autumn.
	Costs incurred by other allied countries are a matter for them.

Darfur

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role is envisaged for NATO in the Darfur region; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether it is the Government's policy that coordination of the EU and NATO efforts in Darfur should be done through NATO's military headquarters in Mons, Belgium;
	(2)  what resources his Department plans to make available to (a) the EU and (b) NATO for operations in Darfur;
	(3)  which European countries have declared resources available to (a) the EU and (b) NATO for operations in Darfur;
	(4)  what form of assistance and support (a) NATO and (b) the EU plan to offer in order to support the African Union in its mission in Darfur.

John Reid: The Government continue to support the international community's efforts to support the African Union mission in Darfur, notably through the UN, NATO and the EU. All these organisations have an important and complementary role to play in providing support to the work of the AU. What matters is that this support is provided through the most effective means, is in line with African Union requirements, and respects African ownership, through close co-operation between the supporting bodies.
	NATO will support the AU mission through provision of airlift and the training of AU personnel. Individual contributions of airlift under the auspices of NATO will be clarified following a joint NATO/EU Donor Airlift Nation Movement Planning Conference on 15 June. The provision of training will be from within NATO's command structure.
	The EU has supported the AU mission since its inception: the European Commission has allocated €92 million and provided logistical and planning support. The EU is now in the process of bringing together a further consolidated offer of assistance to support both the military and police aspects of the AU mission, including provision of equipment and assets, planning and technical assistance, and training. It is supporting the development of a police unit within the AU. Some member states also want to provide their airlift support under EU auspices.
	The African Union is leading the operation and managing offers of assistance. There is no operational command and control role for either the EU or NATO. As the EU's support is a co-ordinated civil-military effort, the Government do not believe that it can be co-ordinated using NATO's military headquarters at Mons. However, both organisations are working closely together to co-ordinate their military offers, including through joint support to a single AU co-ordination cell for airlift at Addis Ababa.
	On 13 June the Secretary of State for International Development announced that the UK will increase its contribution to the expansion of the AU mission to £19 million. This brings the UK Government's total contribution to the AU mission since its inception to almost £32 million. The Ministry of Defence has contributed to this support, which includes the purchase of vehicles, training for military observers, advice on logistics, and airlift. As part of the support to the expansion of the AU mission, the Ministry of Defence is offering two logistic planners within the EU's support to the AU's Joint Logistic Operation Centre at El Fashir, Sudan; and a mobile air movements team of up to 15 people to NATO if required.
	European countries including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey have all pledged financial assistance and/or declared other resources available for operations in Darfur. Many of these offers are still being finalised and may be made through the EU or NATO depending on the nature of the offer.

EU Defence Co-operation

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Government have (a) notified their intentions to the European Council to participate in the permanent structured co-operation in respect of the most demanding military missions and (b) made the commitments on military capabilities set out in the Protocol on permanent structured co-operation.

John Reid: No. The arrangements for participating in permanent structured co-operation and for making commitments under the Protocol are not yet in force as the Constitutional Treaty has not been ratified.

Nuclear Weapons

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on preliminary (a) studies and (b) projects relating to the possible next generation of British nuclear weapons in each of the past four years; and what sums have been earmarked for expenditure in each of the next four years.

John Reid: holding answer 8 June 2005
	Decisions on whether to replace the UK's current nuclear deterrent have not yet been taken. We will continue to take appropriate steps to ensure that the range of options for maintaining a nuclear deterrent capability is kept open until that point, in line with the policy set out in the December 2003 Defence White Paper (Cm 6041–1). This includes sustainment of capabilities at the Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston. It is not possible precisely to assign costs at Aldermaston between work to support current and possible future deterrent systems. Future spending plans in this area have yet to be finalised.

Territorial Army

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the Territorial Army centres in London; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: The Territorial Army is currently being rebalanced to align with the changes to the Regular Army under the Future Army Structures work. We do not anticipate that this will result in significant change to the existing Territorial Army Estate, including in London.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the Royal Navy has for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles at sea; what the budget level of expenditure on such vehicles over the next 10 years is; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: There are currently no funded plans to provide military capabilities using unmanned aerial vehicles at sea. Current work is focused on experimentation under the Joint UAV Experimentation Programme (JUEP) to inform the development of user requirements and possible future programmes, including maritime applications. For example, in March 2005 successful trials were conducted at Benbecula, Scotland, in which a UAV was launched and recovered from land but controlled in flight by a Royal Navy warship. We aim to build on this work.

TREASURY

Air Passenger Duty

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons passengers using transit flights are exempt from air passenger duty; and if he will assess the environmental effects of this exemption.

John Healey: Not all transit flights are exempt from air passenger duty and in order to qualify specific criteria must be met. These are set out in HM Revenue and Customs' Public Notice 551, which can be obtained from the Revenue and Customs website at www.hmrc.gov.uk.
	Exempting connecting flights ensures that passengers are not taxed twice for a journey simply because they have to make a connecting flight.
	The Chancellor keeps under review the structure of all taxes, including the environmental, social and economic effects of exemptions.

Air Passenger Duty

Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money was raised in air passenger duty in (a) 2000, (b) 2001, (c) 2002, (d) 2003 and (e) 2004.

John Healey: The amount of Air Passenger Duty received in each of the last five years was:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2000 931 
			 2001 834 
			 2002 809 
			 2003 778 
			 2004 856 
		
	
	These figures are published online in the HMRC Air Passenger Duty Bulletin at www.uktradeinfo.com.

Breast Cancer

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) incidence of and (b) mortality rate from breast cancer in women under 40 years has been in each year since 1975.

John Healey: The information requested falls with the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Andrew Lansley, dated 14 June 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the (a) incidence of and (b) mortality rate from breast cancer in women under 40 years has been in each year since 1975. I am replying in his absence. (3352)
	The most recent available incidence figures are for the year 2002 and the most recent mortality figures are for the year 2004. Age-standardised incidence and mortality rates (directly standardised to the European standard population) for breast cancer in women aged under 40 in England, for each available year since 1975 are given in the attached table.
	
		Directly age-standardised incidence and mortality rates(34) of breast(35) cancer in women aged under 40 in England, 1975–2004(36)
		
			  Incidence Mortality 
		
		
			 1975 9.4 3.1 
			 1976 9.5 2.7 
			 1977 9.9 2.9 
			 1978 9.9 3.1 
			 1979 9.0 2.9 
			 1980 9.3 2.8 
			 1981 9.7 3.0 
			 1982 9.8 2.9 
			 1983 9.9 2.9 
			 1984 9.8 3.0 
			 1985 10.3 2.8 
			 1986 11.2 2.9 
			 1987 11.0 2.8 
			 1988 10.5 2.9 
			 1989 11.4 3.1 
			 1990 10.8 2.7 
			 1991 11.2 2.4 
			 1992 12.0 2.6 
			 1993 11.5 2.4 
			 1994 11.9 2.7 
			 1995 11.9 2.4 
			 1996 12.2 2.4 
			 1997 12.0 2.5 
			 1998 12.7 2.3 
			 1999 12.9 2.2 
			 2000 12.1 2.4 
			 2001 12.0 2.2 
			 2002 12.0 2.1 
			 2003 n/a 2.0 
			 2004 n/a 1.8 
		
	
	(34) Age-standardised rates per 100,000 population are directly standardised to the European standard population. In detailed analyses of trends in incidence and mortality over time for a particular cancer, ONS use age-standardised rates. These control for differences in the size and age structure of the population and allow unbiased comparison of rates over time.
	(35) From 1975 to 1978, International Classification of Diseases, Eight Revision (ICD-8) code 174; from 1992 to 1994, International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) code 174; from 1995 to 2001, International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code C50.
	(36) The mortality rate for 2004 is provisional: derived from deaths registered in the calendar year (rather than deaths occurring in the calendar year) and the rate is based on the mid-year populations for 2003 (as those for 2004 were not available).
	n/a = not available
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics

Council tax

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the forecast revenue is from council tax in England in (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06.

John Healey: Net council tax income for England as budgeted for 2004–05 was £17,552 million. Final outturn figures for that year will be published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on 23 June. Net council tax income as budgeted for 2005–06 will be published in November in Local Government Finance Statistics No 16 : 2005.

Emigration

John Hemming: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 May 2005, Official Report, column 147W, on emigration, how many UK citizens have emigrated from the UK in each year since 1990.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. John Hemming, dated 14 June 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question regarding the number of UK citizens emigrating from the United Kingdom in each year since 1990.1 am replying in his absence. (4182)
	Estimates of UK citizens emigrating from the UK from 1991 to 2003 are shown in the attached table. The figures are derived from the most comprehensive estimate of migration produced by the Office for National Statistics, Total International Migration (TIM), which is based on a number of sources.
	TIM estimates using the current methodology are only available from 1991 onwards. The latest estimates, for 2003, were published in the annual reference volume International Migration, Series MN no. 30, on the National Statistics website at the link below on 28th April 2005. Note that Table 2.1 in this volume shows a time series of TIM from 1994 to 2003 by various groupings of citizenship for the UK, and for England and Wales: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/Productasp?vlnk=507
	
		Total international migration(37):1991 to 2003 British Citizenship(38)
		
			 United Kingdom (thousand) 
			  Inflow (immigration to the UK) Outflow (emigration from the UK) Balance 
		
		
			 1991 109.4 154.4 -45.0 
			 1992 92.6 155.1 -62.5 
			 1993 85.9 148.7 -62.7 
			 1994 108.3 125.1 -16.8 
			 1995 83.9 135.5 -51.6 
			 1996 93.6 155.7 -62.1 
			 1997 88.9 148.7 -59.8 
			 1998 103.1 125.8 -22.7 
			 1999 116.4 139.2 -22.8 
			 2000 104.1 161.1 -57.0 
			 2001 106.3 159.2 -53.0 
			 2002 94.6 185.7 -91.1 
			 2003 105.8 190.9 -85.2 
		
	
	(37) Data for 1991–03 are based mainly on data from the International Passenger Survey. Includes adjustments for (1) those whose intended length of stay changes so that their migrant status changes; (2) asylum seekers and their dependants not identified by the IPS; and (3) flows between the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
	(38) Citizenship is defined as the nationality of the passport that the traveller is carrying. The British Nationality Act 1981, which came into force on 1st January 1983, replaced citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies, with British citizenship, British Overseas citizenship, and British Dependent Territories citizenship.
	Notes:
	+ Denotes a net inflow figure.
	- Denotes a net outflow figure.
	Source:
	From Table 2.1 from the MN Series (latest publication no.30) published at:http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=507&More=N

Euro

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contingency plans his Department has put in place in the event that countries in the euro zone decide to leave the currency.

Ivan Lewis: The terms of membership of the single currency for member states without a derogation are set out in Article 4 and Articles 116 through to 124 of the treaty establishing the European Community. The Government's policy on UK membership of the single currency was set out by the Chancellor in his statement to the House of Commons in October 1997.

Government Spending

Charles Walker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much central Government money was spent in the most recent year for which figures are available per head of population in each of the English regions; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: Information on central Government and public corporations' identifiable spending per country and region per head is set out in table 8.16 of the HM Treasury and Office of National Statistics publication, Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2005", April 2005 (Cm 6521). This provides outturn data for 2003–04, the most recent year for which figures are available, and plans for 2004–05.

House prices

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the long-run equilibrium, or sustainable, house price to earnings ratio; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: A discussion regarding the long-run house price to earnings ratio can be found in paragraph A76 of the 2004 pre-Budget report (Cm 6408). This included the statement that,
	"The consensus view is that house prices exceed sustainable levels, though there is a wide range of opinion on the extent of disequilibrium. However, the common method of assessing this by comparing the current ratio of house prices to earnings (or some wider measure of income) with its long-run average can be highly misleading. There is no economic law to dictate that this ratio must revert to some constant level over the long term."

Inheritance Tax/Stamp Duty

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was raised through (a) inheritance tax and (b) stamp duty in Hammersmith and Fulham in (i) 1997, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2004.

Ivan Lewis: No information is available at the local authority level for inheritance tax.
	It is not possible to give stamp duty on land and property at this level for either 1997–98 or 2001–02. Estimates of UK stamp duty land tax for 2004–05 will be published in September.

Laptop Computers

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many laptop computers have been used by (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials in his Department in each year since 1995; how many have been (i) lost and (ii) stolen in that period; what the cost of the use of laptops in that period was; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: Current Treasury records simply assign ownership of laptops and other small equipment to Budget centres within the Department, and so a distinction between (a), (b) and (c) is not made.
	
		
			  Laptops Cost (£) Stolen 
		
		
			 2003 107 130,107 9 
			 2004 83 94,727 4 
			 2005 (part) 64 61,931 1 
		
	
	Details for 1995–02 can be found in the answer given on 3 March 2003, Official Report, column 838W by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for Twickenham.
	The totals above indicate acquisitions and do not reflect the actual number in use, which is affected by occasional stock holding and by old equipment being replaced with newer models. At present the number of laptops supported is about 500.
	All recorded losses of laptops have been due to theft.

Partnerships UK

David Kidney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the performance of Partnerships UK in developing templates for private finance initiative and public-private partnership agreements.

John Healey: Partnerships UK (PUK) supports the Government's delivery of value for money PFI projects, including work on developing national procurement vehicles for key programmes such as Partnerships for Schools, and helping the Government standardise the legal documentation involved in PFI procurements.
	PUK has worked closely with the Treasury and other Government Departments in the production and enforcement of the standardised contract for PFI agreements and in developing sector specific contracts. Through its help-line, PUK has provided a valuable support function for procuring authorities across the UK in negotiating standardised contracts and PFI project agreements. The work PUK does to support the enforcement of standardised contracts is important in delivering benefits to the public sector in terms of reduced procurement costs and procurement timescales.
	The PUK Advisory Council reports annually on how PUK is fulfilling its public sector mission. A copy of the latest report is available on the Treasury website.

Personal Saving

Charles Walker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to increase levels of personal saving in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Government's policies provide over £2 billion every year in tax relief on savings through individual savings accounts (ISAs) and other forms of personal saving incentives. In addition, the Government deliver fiscal support for retirement saving worth more than £11 billion this year.
	As well as ISAs, the Government introduced the Child Trust Fund in April to ensure assets for all children, regardless of family background, strengthen financial education and promote positive attitudes to saving. At the same time, the Government introduced a new suite of Stakeholder saving and investment products, which are simple and risk-controlled, with a charge cap to protect consumers from high charges. In addition to tax relief, the Government are using the Saving Gateway to explore how matching can help promote saving among those who do not usually save.
	For retirement saving, the Government are delivering pension tax simplification which, in April 2006, will sweep away the many separate regimes and replace them with only one. This radical reform which gives greater flexibility to individuals is supported by the Informed Choice programme which will mean that individuals are better able to understand and appreciate the value of their pensions savings.

Property and Pensions

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely effects on tax revenue of the new rules on residential property andpersonal pension plans to be introduced in April 2006.

Ivan Lewis: Pension tax simplification replaces the numerous existing tax regimes with a universal regime for tax-privileged pension savings providing greater flexibility to some 15 million pension savers.
	Currently most pension funds may invest in residential property, and many do. Under the new simplified regime small self-administered schemes (SSASs) and self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs) may invest in residential property from 6 April 2006. Around 200,000 people, compared to over 15 million pension scheme members, hold these specialist pension vehicles. Creating a single set of allowable investments across all pension schemes fits the requirement to create a single regime for tax privileged pension saving and corrects an existing distortion by giving investors greater choice.
	The regulatory impact assessment (RIA) Simplifying the Taxation of Pensions" published in April 2004, which can be found at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ria/simplifying-pensions.pdf set out an assessment of the potential impact of the whole pensions simplification package, including the changes to the lifetime allowance and ages at which pensions can be taken, together with allowing residential property into SIPPs and SSASs. These elements cannot easily be separated and therefore the RIA estimates the overall cost of the pensions simplification package to the Exchequer at around £¼ billion within four years. Paragraphs 55 and 56 deal specifically with the potential consequences of allowing residential property into SIPPs and SSASs.
	The Government will keep this aspect of the tax system, as with all others, under review.

Public sector pensions

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the net public sector pensions liability is estimated to be over the next 10 years based on the current retirement age.

Des Browne: The total liabilities of unfunded public service pension schemes as at 31 March 2004 were estimated to be £460 billion. This is a gross figure, as unfunded public service pension schemes do not hold assets to offset the liability. We do not hold information on a comparable basis projecting these aggregated liabilities to 2015.
	Projected figures for the in year accrual of liabilities for the main unfunded pension schemes to 2007–08, based on the current normal pension age, are published in the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2005.
	The net liabilities of funded pension schemes in the wider public sector to 2015 will be dependent on the performance of the individual pension funds. Central Government does not hold comprehensive information on, or estimates of the future performance of, these individual funds.

Tax Credits

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research his Department has (a) undertaken, (b) commissioned and (c) reviewed on the effectiveness of research and development (R and D) tax credits in stimulating additional (R and D) activity in the UK.

John Healey: The effectiveness of fiscal incentives for R and D was fully considered in the development of the UK's R and D tax credit system. The Government has committed to a full evaluation of R and D tax credits and, as the first stage, has commissioned a survey of R and D companies to examine awareness and use of R and D tax credits and to assess any early effects on business R and D.
	The Government will continue to monitor the wide range of economic and international evidence on R and D fiscal incentives to assess and inform improvements to the UK's R and D tax credits. Further research will also be commissioned as part of the evaluation programme.
	National Statistics on the number of claims and amount of support claimed through the SME R and D tax credit are published on the HM Revenue and Customs website: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/corporate_tax/randdtcmenu.htm

Tax Credits

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many non-pensioner families in Tamworth have been recipients of tax credits in each of the last three years; and how many have been identified as having received overpayments.

Ivan Lewis: I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Lynne Jones) on 7 June 2005, Official Report, column 468W.

Small Businesses (London)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many small businesses were registered for VAT in (a) Brent East and (b) each London borough in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many new VAT registrations of small companies there were in (a) Brent East and (b) each London borough in each year since 1997.

John Healey: HM Revenue and Customs does not collect data on the number of VAT registered businesses or new VAT registrations of small companies by geographic area. However, information on the number of enterprises registered for VAT at the start of each year, and newly registered for VAT, is available via the Small Business Service website at www.sbs.gov.uk. This can be used to give an indication of the size of the business population within London. Table 1 shows the number of VAT registered small businesses and Table 2 shows the number of new VAT registrations, in London since 1997.
	
		Table 1: Number of VAT registered small businesses in London
		
			  1997 1996 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Inner London
			 Camden 19,800 20,675 20,620 20,660 20,610 20,005 19,145 
			 Hackney 5,370 5,630 6,065 6,423 6,805 7,035 7,195 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 6,160 6,510 7,070 7,485 7,950 8,310 8,430 
			 Haringey 5,410 5,685 5,950 6,185 6,375 6,465 6,525 
			 Islington 9,585 10,380 10,945 11,055 11,070 11,040 10,885 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 8,205 8,525 8,870 9,225 9,525 9,640 9,815 
			 Lambeth 5,445 5,690 5,980 6,230 6,425 6,645 6,840 
			 Lewisham 3,655 3,815 4,045 4,195 4,335 4,475 4,545 
			 Newham 3,040 3,125 3,280 3,430 3,590 3,675 3,765 
			 Southwark 6,150 6,475 6,860 7,190 7,545 7,895 8,130 
			 Tower Hamlets 5,685 5,975 6,375 6,780 7,070 7,215 7,390 
			 Wandsworth 7,585 7,980 8,445 8,865 9,110 9,305 9,445 
			 Westminster 32,455 33,985 35,540 37,230 38,395 39,055 39,235 
			 
			 Outer London
			 Barking and Dagenham 2,175 2,215 2,145 2,240 2,380 2,450 2,510 
			 Barnet 14,270 15,070 15,330 15,240 15,230 14,680 14,050 
			 Bexley 4,440 4,615 4,705 4,835 4,930 5,065 5,110 
			 Brent 7,435 7,810 8,120 8,340 8,475 8,515 8,515 
			 Bromley 8,145 8,390 8,745 8,825 8,960 9,100 9,115 
			 Croydon 8,675 8,895 9,055 9,045 9,020 8,985 8,830 
			 Ealing 8,005 8,360 8,770 9,125 9,390 9,550 9,680 
			 Enfield 5,795 5,995 6,275 6,435 6,620 6,675 6,725 
			 Greenwich 3,295 3,480 3,655 3,770 3,870 3,990 4,075 
			 Harrow 6,935 7,170 7,445 7,500 7,535 7,575 7,585 
			 Havering 5,225 5,370 5,545 5,645 5,700 5,790 5,795 
			 Hillingdon 6,755 6,940 7,195 7,345 7,450 7,460 7,500 
			 Hounslow 5,820 6,030 6,295 6,545 6,695 6,890 6,900 
			 Kingston upon Thames 4,485 4,730 5,000 5,205 5,305 5,355 5,335 
			 Merton 4,820 5,095 5,415 5,565 5,735 5,785 5,765 
			 Redbridge 5,235 5,385 5,645 5,815 5,970 5,920 5,855 
			 Richmond upon Thames 7,400 7,720 8,095 8,385 8,595 8,775 8,870 
			 Sutton 4,760 4,880 5,040 5,140 5,125 5,165 5,150 
			 Waltham Forest 4,245 4,330 4,550 4,675 4,725 4,755 4,765 
			 Total for London 236,460 246,930 257,070 264,625 270,515 273,240 273,475 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Number of new small business VAT registrations in London
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
			 Inner London
		
		
			 Camden 3,115 2,930 2,665 2,475 1,920 1,865 1,940 
			 Hackney 985 1,130 1,120 1,180 1,015 1,050 1,095 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 970 1,155 1,050 1,230 1,185 1,125 1,260 
			 Haringey 940 990 980 960 885 855 845 
			 Islington 1,740 1,805 1,575 1,445 1,255 1,270 1,315 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,115 1,170 1,240 1,260 940 1,105 1,210 
			 Lambeth 865 930 900 865 875 880 995 
			 Lewisham 630 675 635 615 610 590 605 
			 Newham 530 595 585 580 530 545 660 
			 Southwark 1,010 1,090 1,025 1,105 1,085 1,025 1,080 
			 Tower Hamlets 995 1,100 1,080 1,100 945 975 1,150 
			 Wandsworth 1,165 1,225 1,250 1,165 1,110 1,145 1,255 
			 Westminster 4,680 5,175 5,660 5,450 4,830 4,655 5,855 
			 
			 Outer London
			 Barking and Dagenham 295 310 350 375 330 320 370 
			 Barnet 2,295 2,275 1,925 1,970 1,625 1,600 1,615 
			 Bexley 660 575 560 595 625 535 570 
			 Brent 1,200 1,195 1,160 1,180 1,070 1,030 1,150 
			 Bromley 1,055 1,125 915 950 940 940 1,000 
			 Croydon 1,215 1,215 1,095 1,035 985 985 1,050 
			 Ealing 1,255 1,255 1,190 1,200 1,150' 1,175 1,330 
			 Enfield 805 860 840 885 790 860 910 
			 Greenwich 565 565 525 520 495 500 545 
			 Harrow 945 1,050 900 930 920 950 1,085 
			 Havering 720 745 645 640 630 635 610 
			 Hillingdon 905 920 835 860 735 830 855 
			 Hounslow 805 840 830 820 820 810 840 
			 Kingston upon Thames 670 700 620 615 595 585 570 
			 Merton 750 840 730 765 680 640 710 
			 Redbridge 830 925 850 855 760 750 820 
			 Richmond upon Thames 970 1,005 960 960 880 1,015 1,020 
			 Sutton 585 610 540 505 520 490 550 
			 Waltham Forest 670 715 705 650 625 630 675 
			 Total in London 35,935 37,695 35,940 35,740 32,360 32,365 35,540

Stamp Duty

Charles Walker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research he has conducted into the impact that higher rates of stamp duty on domestic property have on workforce mobility; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Government keep all taxes under review.

Tax Levels

Charles Walker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reduce levels of tax paid by low andmiddle income earners; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Government keep all taxes under review; announcements about taxation are made within the Budget cycle.
	The Government are keen to use targeted measures to ensure that help goes to those that need it most.
	Personal tax and benefit measures introduced since 1997 mean that by October 2005 a single earner family on male average earnings and with two children will be £205 a year better off in real terms and the same family on half male average earnings will be £3,700 a year better off in real terms.

Tax Levels

Charles Walker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of levels of taxation applied to property in (a) the UK, (b) continental Europe and (c) USA; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Measures introduced in Budget 2005 mean that 89 per cent. of property transactions pay either no or 1 per cent. stamp duty land tax and the vast majority—currently around 94 per cent—of estates will continue to pay no inheritance tax. The Government have also stated that gains arising on disposal of a principal private residence will continue to be exempt from capital gains tax.
	International comparisons of taxes for each sector of the economy using published data (for example from the OECD) can be misleading, because similar taxes in two countries may be classified as falling on different bases. However the level of property taxation has remained broadly constant in the UK, EU15 and the USA since
	the 1960s.

Tax Levels

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of taxpayers in (a) Lancashire and (b) the UK paid tax at the (i) basic rate and (ii) higher rate in (A) 1992, (B) 1997, (C) 2001 and (D) the latest year for which figures are available.

Ivan Lewis: Information on the estimated number of income taxpayers in the UK for the years since 1992–93 is available in table 2.1 'Number of individual income taxpayers' on the HM Revenue and Customs internet website http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/table2–1.pdf.
	Similar information on the estimated number of income taxpayers in Lancashire for the years 1992–93 and 1997–98 is not available.
	Information on the number of number and percentage of taxpayers in Lancashire in 2001–02 and 2002–03 (the latest year for which figures are available) is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Basic rate   
			 Number (thousands) 424 436 
			 Percentage 77.4 77.4 
			
			 Higher rate   
			 Number (thousands) 44 44 
			 Percentage 8.0 7.8 
			
			 All taxpayers   
			 Number (thousands) 548 563 
			 Percentage 100 100 
		
	
	The all taxpayers figures include all those paying tax at the starting rate, savers rate, basic rate and higher rate.
	The income tax information is based upon the Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI).

Tax System (1997)

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the disincentives to work that existed within the tax system in 1997.

Ivan Lewis: The work incentive problems that existed in 1997 were analysed in Work Incentives: A Report by Martin Taylor", the second paper in HM Treasury's reports on modernising the tax and benefit system. The report is available at: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/2BF/88/taylor.pdf

Taxation

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the level of taxation on the state of the economy.

John Healey: The Government's macro-economic framework has consistently delivered stability with strong growth and low inflation, thus establishing a track record that has been internationally acknowledged. The Government's approach to taxation balances the need to finance better quality public services, deliver fairness and promote sustainable development while ensuring that the UK benefits from the advantages of being a lightly taxed economy.

Teenage Pregnancies

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many teenage pregnancies there were in each of the last 10 years, broken down by year group.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Tim Loughton, dated 14 June 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many teenage pregnancies there were in each of the last 10 years, broken down by year group. I am replying in his absence. (4638)
	The most recent year for which conception statistics are available is 2003 and figures for this year are provisional estimates. The data requested are given in the table below.
	
		Conceptions to women aged under 18, England, 1994 to 2003
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1994 33,794 
			 1995 35,371 
			 1996 40,558 
			 1997 40,463 
			 1998 41,089 
			 1999 39,247 
			 2000 38,699 
			 2001 38,461 
			 2002 39,350 
			 2003(39) 39,571 
		
	
	(39) Provisional estimates.

Telephone use

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the Department's policy on the private use of official telephones and how it is monitored.

John Healey: Treasury staff are allowed to make reasonable private use of the Department's official telephones.
	Calls are not monitored. If misuse is suspected, then the destination of all calls placed can be recorded.

Trade Union Learning Representatives

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many trade union learning representatives there are in his Department.

John Healey: The Treasury does not have any trade union learning representatives, as the trade unions have not yet approached the Department on this issue or nominated anyone for the role.

VAT

Michael Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the amount of irrecoverable VAT incurred by (a) sixth form colleges and (b) further education colleges in each of the last 10 financial years.

Ivan Lewis: HM Revenue and Customs does not hold data about the level of irrecoverable VAT incurred by sixth form and further education colleges. However VAT incurred by sixth form and further education colleges is included in the funding they receive from central Government.

VAT

Michael Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) sixth form colleges and (b) further education colleges are registered for VAT purposes.

Ivan Lewis: HM Revenue and Customs do not collect data on the number of sixth form and further education colleges registered for VAT. HM Revenue and Customs do hold information on the number of VAT registered traders in the education sector and sub-sectors which is shown in the table.
	
		The number of VAT registered traders within the education sector as at June 2005
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1. Primary Education  
			 Primary education 71 
			   
			 2. Secondary Education  
			 General secondary education 215 
			 Technical and vocational education 611 
			   
			 3. Higher Education  
			 Sub-degree level higher education 238 
			 First-degree level education 209 
			 Post-graduate level education 36 
			   
			 4. Adult and other education  
			 Driving schools 409 
			 Activities of private training providers 8,077 
			 Other adult and other education not elsewhere classified 1,,890 
			 Total 11,756

Venture Capital Sector

Charles Walker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is taking to promote the venture capital sector in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The UK's private equity and venture capital industry is the largest in Europe, and the second largest in the world after the United States. The Government have delivered macro-economic stability that allows investors in venture capital to invest with confidence, and a low-tax environment, including an effective Capital Gains Tax rate of 10 per cent. on business assets held for at least two years, which allows them to keep more of the reward from successful investments.
	The Government also make a number of direct interventions in the venture capital markets to support finance-raising by small companies affected by the equity gap, including Regional Venture Capital Funds and Venture Capital Trusts and the Enterprise Investment Scheme. A new model of support, Enterprise Capital Funds, will soon be launched by the Small Business Service, which will partner public and private money to invest in small businesses seeking venture capital.

Young People (Yorkshire)

David Davis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many young people in the East Riding of Yorkshire were not working, studying or in training in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. David Davis, dated 14 June 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about young people in the East Riding of Yorkshire. I am replying in his absence. (3583).
	The numbers of people aged 16 to 24 not in employment, or in full-time education or government training, resident in the East Riding of Yorkshire for the 12 months ending February 2003 and 2004 are estimated at 4,000 and 3,000 respectively.
	These estimates are based on annual local area Labour Force Survey data which, as with any statistical sample survey, is subject to sampling variability.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

ADHD

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps the new behaviour task force will take in dealing with pupils suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Jacqui Smith: The Leadership Group on Behaviour and Discipline has been asked to advise on how effective school discipline reaches the classroom, how to improve parental responsibility for behaviour and deliver a culture of respect in all schools. It will be for the Group to decide how far issues relating specifically to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder relate to that overall remit.

Adult Education Budget/Funding

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the budget allocation for adult education was in each year between 1997 and 2004.

Bill Rammell: The Department allocates funds for education and training in the post-16 learning and skills sector to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The LSC was established in 2001 bringing the planning and funding of post-16 education together under one body. In 2001–02 the Learning and Skills Council spent £2,236 million on adult programmes including FE, Work Based Learning, Adult and Community Learning and other programmes. This increased to £2,427 million in 2002–03 and to £2,866 million in 2003–04. These figures are available in the LSC's published accounts. Figures for adult education for the period 1997–01 are not comparable as the budget was split between a range of different organisations. The Departmental Annual Report sets out total expenditure on Further Education, Adult Training and Skills and Lifelong Learning for this period.

Adult Education Budget/Funding

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will safeguard central funding for adult education for 2005 to 2009.

Bill Rammell: The Department allocates funds for education and training in the post-16 learning and skills sector to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). In the Department's Grant Letter of 15 November 2004, the LSC was allocated £6.7 billion in 2005–06, £6.8 billion in 2006–07 and £7.1 billion in 2007–08 for learning participation, which includes funding for adult education. For the year 2008–09, allocations will be determined by the Spending Review 2006 outcome.
	The Government are committed to safeguarding the availability of a wide range of learning for personal and community development (previously termed adult and community learning). The DfES and the LSC will agree each year an overall indicative budget based on the broad proportion of LSC funds currently spent on this type of learning.

Adult Illiteracy/Innumeracy

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the level of adult (a) illiteracy and (b) innumeracy in England was in each year between 1994 and 2004.

Phil Hope: The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) does not collect annual data on levels of adult literacy and numeracy. However, to inform our planning and delivery in this key policy area, in October 2003 the Department published the Skills for Live Survey: A national needs and impact survey of literacy, numeracy and ICT skills" (DfES, October 2003).
	The survey assessed the literacy, numeracy and ICT skills of around 8,000 adults aged 16 and above in England. The findings are shown in the following tables. The assessment levels correspond to the new literacy and numeracy core curriculum and National Standards: Level 1 is broadly equivalent to a lower grade GCSE (grade D-G) and Level 2 to a higher grade GCSE (A*-C). Overall around 16 per cent. of adults had literacy skills below Level 1 and 47 per cent. had numeracy skills below this level.
	
		Overall literacy—Base: all respondents with literacy level (7874)
		
			  Percentage of 16 to 65-year-olds Number of 16 to 65-year-olds (million) 
		
		
			 Entry level 1 or below 3 1.1 
			 Entry level 2 2 0.6 
			 Entry level 3 11 3.5 
			 (All Entry level or below) (16) (5.2) 
			 Level 1 40 12.6 
			 Level 2 or above 44 14.1 
			  100 31.9 
		
	
	Source:
	Census 01
	Skills for Life Survey, 2003
	
		Overall numeracy—Base: all respondents with numeracy level (8040)
		
			  Percentage of 16 to 65-year-olds Number of 16 to 65-year-olds (million) 
		
		
			 Entry level 1 or below 5 1.7 
			 Entry level 2 16 5.1 
			 Entry level 3 25 8.1 
			 (All Entry level or below) (47) (15.0) 
			 Level 1 28 8.8 
			 Level 2 or above 25 8.1 
			  100 31.9 
		
	
	Source:
	Census 01
	Skills for Life Survey, 2003
	A copy of the survey report is in the House of Commons Library and on the DfES website: www.dfes.gov.uk

Afro-Caribbean Pupils

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what steps the Government have taken to improve the performance of Afro-Caribbean boys at schools;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the performance of Afro-Caribbean boys against the national average performance for each age group.

Jacqui Smith: This Government are fully committed to improving the performance of African-Caribbean boys in our schools and narrowing achievement gaps for all underachieving minority ethnic pupils.
	Following the Aiming High: Raising the Achievement of Minority Ethnic Pupils consultation, the Government announced a national strategy in November 2003. The strategy aims to: focus mainstream school improvement programmes and targeted activity on identifying and addressing underachievement; increasing accountability, including through the publication of achievement data; and supporting the school workforce to be able to meet the needs of minority ethnic pupils more effectively.
	The strategy included a pilot national project focused on raising the achievement of African-Caribbean young people, and boys in particular. This project was developed following detailed assessment of performance data for African-Caribbean pupils. The experience of delivering this project is currently informing the roll out of a national programme to support black pupils in all our schools across both primary and secondary education.
	More widely my officials routinely use data, including ethnicity data, to support the development of policy and initiatives. In order to ensure that parents and other interested parties are kept informed of our progress in narrowing achievement gaps, my Department publishes the ethnicity performance data on an annual basis. The latest data is available at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000564/index.shtmln and analysis of the 2003 data at
	http://dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000448/NPD _sfr_text_Finished3.pdf

A-levels

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she expects individual module marks of A-level students to be made available to universities.

Jacqui Smith: UCAS and the Joint Council for Qualifications have agreed that individual unit grades will be made available to those institutions which wish to receive them from 2007 entry onwards. There will be a pilot for 2006 entry, although the extent of and participation in that pilot has yet to be determined.

A-levels

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations her Department has received on making individual module marks of A-level students available to universities.

Jacqui Smith: We have received representations from a number of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) seeking more information about students' performance. Following a consultation with HEIs, UCAS will be making available individual unit grades to those institutions which wish to receive them from 2007 onwards. There will be a pilot for 2006 entry.

Apprenticeships

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to remove the age limit on modern apprenticeships.

Phil Hope: The Department for Education and Skills has already changed the rules so that young people who start their apprenticeship at any point up to their 25th birthday can complete it. Beyond that, the Department is currently trialling apprenticeships for adult entry in three sectors: engineering, construction and health and social care. These trials are due to complete in March 2006 a decision will be made in the light of these trials whether apprenticeship frameworks offer an effective method for older workers to gain qualifications.

Building Schools for the Future

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many projects in wave one of Building Schools for the Future used the exemplar building design.

Jacqui Smith: Wave one authorities have not yet received tenders showing proposed school designs, but the first responses indicating proposed designs are expected later this month. However, authorities will be using exemplar building designs to assist in tender evaluation.

Bullying

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance her Department has produced to deal with (a) bullying of early years pupils and (b) bullying issues that arise in the infant age group.

Jacqui Smith: The Education Act 2002 embeds the Foundation Stage as part of the National Curriculum and supports our aim of giving all children a better start to school life. This will support staff in equipping children in their early years with the key skills they need for their learning journey and will feed through to higher educational attainment, supporting standards and improved behaviour within schools and outside.
	In order to meet children's diverse needs, and help all children make the best possible progress, practitioners should provide a safe and supportive learning environment, free from harassment, in which the contribution of all children is valued and where racial, religious, disability and gender stereotypes are challenged.
	'Personal, social and emotional development' is part of the Foundation Stage Curriculum. This includes 'developing respect for others, social competence and a positive disposition to learn'. Children learn to understand what is right, what is wrong and why; and to consider the consequences of their words and actions for themselves and others. Guidance to practitioners includes involving children in agreeing codes of behaviour and taking responsibility for their implementation.
	To support this the Department has appointed the Institute of Psychology, King's College London to develop a training programme on young children's personal social and emotional development to support the Birth to Three Matters and Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage documents.
	The materials will address various aspects of children's personal social and emotional development and its promotion, implications for practice and multi agency-working. The emphasis will be on producing effective, user friendly, quality materials setting out key messages. Through these key messages children will develop respect for others, social competence and a positive disposition to learn.
	In June 2005, the DfES is making available to all primary schools curriculum materials to help reduce bullying. They include age related materials for pupils in Foundation Stage, KS1 and KS2, and are part of the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) curriculum resource.
	All primary schools also have access to the DfES anti bullying resource pack for schools 'Don't Suffer in Silence', which provides a number of anti-bullying strategies including co-operative group work, circle time, circle of friends, all of which are suitable for use with infant age children.
	Head teachers, staff and learners from various primary schools have been involved in the Make the Difference conferences sharing effective practice from their own schools with others.
	We are currently developing advice for schools on Countering Racist Bullying, which will cover issues for all children from foundation stage upwards.

Bursaries

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much the Government have spent on bursaries in each of the last five years.

Bill Rammell: The total spent on business in England from 2000–01 to 2004–05 is detailed in Table 1. 2004–05 data for Hardship Fund and Opportunity Bursaries will not be available until November 2005. Other Bursaries includes training bursaries for school and FE PGCE students and additional teacher bursaries for continuing professional development (the Professional Bursaries Scheme).
	
		Table 1: Amount of money spent on bursaries 2000–01 to 2004–05
		
			 £ 
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Hardship and opportunity bursaries 14,822,838 17,230,332 19,568,722 19,125,163 Not available 
			 Other bursaries 77,820,000 136,620,000 137,409,000 154,256,989 156,974,582 
			 Total 92,642,838 153,850,332 156,977,722 173,382,152 Not available

Child Safeguarding Unit

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many names of teachers who have been complained against are held by the Department's Child Safeguarding Unit; and in how many such cases the complaint had been dismissed;
	(2)  for what purpose a teacher's name is recorded by (a) local education authorities and (b) the Department's Child Safeguarding Unit where a complaint against that teacher has been dismissed.

Jacqui Smith: Employers within the education sector are required to provide information to the Children's Safeguarding Operations Unit where they have ceased to use the services of an employee because they are considered unsuitable to work with children; as a result of misconduct; or because of a medical condition that raises the possibility of risk to the safety and welfare of children. Additionally the police notify the Unit of conviction or cautions of employees in the education sector.
	The Unit currently holds approximately 15,000 records of individuals who have been referred to my Department in the circumstances referred to above. This includes different types of employee, not just teachers. Some of these referrals will have come about as a result of complaints, but only when those complaints reached the point that an employer ceased to use the services of an employee—complaints that do not lead to dismissal are not referred to my Department. Neither is there a requirement to report cases when a decision to dismiss has been overturned on appeal, but there may be some cases where a report is made to the Unit before a decision to dismiss is overturned. In such cases the Department will consider whether any decision made should be revised in light of the new evidence. The Department does not maintain a breakdown of the number of cases that fall into this category.
	The purpose of referral is for the Secretary of State to consider whether the individual's employment should be prohibited or restricted. If so, that individual is added to the list held by the Secretary of State under section 142 of the Education Act 2002 (List 99).
	All referral information received is retained to support the decision made by the Secretary of State to include or not include an individual on the list, to demonstrate that each case has been properly considered, and to ensure that any future duplicate referral is not reconsidered.
	My Department has not issued guidelines to local education authorities about recording details of teachers who are the subject of complaints.

Classroom Supervisors

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of supply teachers' time are estimated will be replaced by classroom supervisors under the proposals in the technical note provided by her Department to the Gershon Review; and how much money is expected to be saved by this change.

Jacqui Smith: The thrust of the workforce reform agenda—which is supported by school workforce unions and employers, as well as by Government—are to encourage schools to make the most effective use of all their resources. In many cases, using cover staff rather than supply teachers will be the best option—in terms of educational benefit as well as value for money. But deployment will depend on a number of factors, including how much short term absence—much of which is unforeseeable—a school needs to cover.

Education Funding

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding has been set aside for high-quality tuition in (a) the arts, (b) music, (c) sport and (d) foreign languages for the next three financial years.

Jacqui Smith: We are investing in major national programmes such as Creative Partnerships—providing a £2.5 million contribution to the larger DCMS funding specifically to run an education team—to support schools to give their pupils the opportunity to experience learning through creativity and working with artists, actors etc. We also support the Artsmark Awards which recognise schools that have made a strong commitment to the arts and have encouraged schools to increase their provision of arts to pupils, thereby raising the profile and quality of arts education across the country
	To date, £270 million has gone to LEA Music Services through the Music Standards Fund. The MSF was set up in 1999 to protect music services and to expand music provision outside of the National Curriculum. We now plan to distribute up to a further £210 million during the course of the current spending period, and this includes a planned £30 million increase intended to specifically support Music Services to implement the Ofsted supported Wider Opportunities Music Programme at Key Stage 2. This successful programme was piloted in 13 areas, and consisted of new musical experiences and whole class instrumental tuition.
	The Government are investing £978 million in the five years to 2008 to deliver the national PE, School Sport and Club Links strategy. £28 million of the overall budget has been set aside to support the professional development of teachers and other to enhance the quality of PE teaching and learning.
	The Secretary of State announced a £115 million Boost for Modern Foreign Languages" in March 2005, providing support for languages teaching over the next three years. £60 million of that sum will support initial and existing teacher training, and another £14 million will support new approaches for teaching and learning for 11 to 18-year-olds.

EU Students

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the number of EU students who have been resident in the UK for more than three years and will be eligible for higher education maintenance support from 2006 as a result of the European Court of Justice judgment in the case R (Bidar) v the London borough of Ealing.

Bill Rammell: It is difficult to estimate precisely the number of EU students that may be eligible for higher education maintenance support because of the uncertainty involved in projecting future numbers of EU students and the limited data available centrally on the number of years people in this group may have been resident in the UK. An EU student will still need to satisfy the requirement of three years residence in the UK prior to the start of his or her course in order to be eligible for maintenance support. Based on the limited data available, we estimate that around 6,000 full time EU students studying in English institutions could in principle be eligible for maintenance support in Academic Year 2006/07 as a result of changes we have made to regulations in the light of the ECJ ruling.

Further Education Funding

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many further education colleges have reported that they expect to be in financial deficit in this financial year; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The latest data that the LSC has collected from further education colleges regarding their 2004–05 financial position is from the 2004–07 financial plans. These financial plans indicate that 78 out of 390 colleges (20 per cent.) were forecasting a financial deficit for 2004–05.

GCSE Music

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance her Department has issued on the provision of GCSE Music in secondary schools.

Jacqui Smith: This Government recognises the importance of music in schools both as a subject in its own right and as a means of driving up standards across the curriculum. Music is a statutory requirement for all pupils up to the age of 14. At Key Stage 4 it comes within the statutory entitlement to study arts—schools must provide access to a minimum of one course in the arts—art and design, music, dance, drama or media arts.
	The Department has not provided guidance to schools on offering music GCSE, or indeed any other subject. It is for schools to decide what subjects to offer for GCSE in the light of suitable accommodation, facilities and suitably qualified teaching staff; and taking account of demand.

Key Stage Learning

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the actions her Department will take to ensure that children who have not achieved the expected standards of numeracy and literacy at Key Stage 2 receive support at secondary school to achieve these standards; and whether these will include (a) curriculum flexibility, (b) targeted reading materials and (c) increased resources.

Jacqui Smith: Children who have not achieved the age-related expectations in numeracy and literacy on transfer to secondary school remain a key priority for this Government. The 14–19 White Paper and our recent manifesto set out our actions and proposals for improving the support for and schools' focus on these pupils. These include reviewing the Key Stage 3 curriculum to create more space to help those who have fallen behind; strengthening the support and guidance already provided to secondary schools by the Secondary National Strategy, and extending it to Key Stage 4; and strengthening the Achievement and Attainment Tables to include English and maths in the GCSE 5A* -C measure.

Key Stage Learning

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance her Department has produced on the range of subjects beyond the core requirements of the national curriculum offered in secondary schools at Key Stage 3 and 4.

Jacqui Smith: My Department produces guidance materials to support teaching and learning in all the core and foundation subjects of the National Curriculum and other elements of the school curriculum (such as PSHE and RE). In addition, QCA provides guidance on a range of statutory and non-statutory elements of the curriculum, including areas of study outside of the National Curriculum, for example business studies, work-related learning, and economics.

Leadership Group on Behaviour and Discipline

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  whether she expects the report of the Leadership Group on Behaviour and Discipline to be published; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how much has been allocated for the work of the Leadership Group on Behaviour and Discipline;
	(3)  which professional bodies have been invited to(a) attend and (b) nominate teachers and head teachers to the Leadership Group on Behaviour and Discipline;
	(4)  what the (a) functions and (b) membership of the (i) Leadership Group on Behaviour and Discipline and (ii) Behaviour and Attendance Reference Group are;
	(5)  what functions the Leadership Group on Behaviour and Discipline will take over from the Behaviour and Attendance Reference Group;
	(6)  whether the Behaviour and Attendance Reference Group will be abolished;
	(7)  how much funding the Behaviour and Attendance Reference Group (a) received in each year since it was established and (b) is projected to receive.

Jacqui Smith: The Leadership Group on Behaviour and Discipline, announced on 20 May, will advise the Government on how effective school discipline reaches every classroom, how to improve parental responsibility for their children's behaviour and deliver a culture of respect in all schools. Chaired by Sir Alan Steer of the Seven Kings High School in Ilford, the group has a membership of heads and teachers with a proven track record in managing behaviour. Six of these have been nominated by teacher unions and professional associations—ATL, NAHT, NAS/UWT, NUT, PAT and SHA. The Leadership Group is due to report by the end of October to a ministerial group on behaviour and attendance. The Ministerial Group comprises general secretaries of those six organisations, a representative from Unison, Ofsted, local authorities and governors, including a parent governor. The ministerial group's role will be to advise Ministers on the development and implementation of behaviour and attendance policies and to play an active part in promoting and helping to embed the most effective practice in improving behaviour and attendance across all schools. This includes receiving the report of the Leadership Group. I intend to make available the report of the leadership group, once my Ministerial Group has had an opportunity to consider its findings.
	With the creation of the two new groups, and pending the report of the leadership group, we have suspended meetings of the Improving Behaviour and Attendance Programme (IBAP) reference group. The IBAP reference group has played a valuable role since its creation in September 2002. Its functions have been to review and help develop strategy, including the effect and practicalities of its implementation; to comment on guidance and other materials that have been made available to schools and LEAs; and to provide a forum for partners to discuss behaviour and attendance issues. Following the decision to suspend its meetings, its overall strategic role and its role as a discussion forum will be taken forward by the new Ministerial Group. No decisions have yet been taken on its future role.
	The IBAP reference group did not receive any specific funding, apart from costs of its meetings. It is envisaged that similar arrangements will apply to the two new groups. As the Leadership Group comprises serving heads and teachers, we are providing supply cover costs.
	The members of the IBAP reference group are listed as follows.
	
		
			 Association Name 
		
		
			 ACE Julia Parnaby 
			 ACE Ingrid Sutherland 
			 Association of Education Welfare Managers Jenny Price 
			 Association of Education Welfare Managers Jennie Clark 
			 NEC of AEWM Stewart Bray 
			 Ofsted David Moore 
			 Ofsted Eileen Visser 
			 Youth Justice Board Paul Dale 
			 Youth Justice Board David Padley 
			 Youth Justice Board Julie Conalty 
			 Youth Justice Board Robert Newman 
			 Association of Educational Psychologists David Webster 
			 Association of Educational Psychologists Mary Jenkin 
			 ATL Julie Coverdale 
			 ATL Martin Johnson 
			 NAHT Jan Myles 
			 NAHT Kathryn James 
			 NAHT Philippa Erasmus 
			 Children's Society Vacant 
			 Commission for Racial Equality Suma Das 
			 ConfEd Jo Davidson 
			 ConfED Chris Waterman 
			 DCMS Phil Clapp 
			 DOH Cathy James 
			 General Teaching Council Sally-Ann Davies 
			 GTCE Carol Adams 
			 Information for Schools and College Governors Elizabeth Alqadhi 
			 CFBT Sue Bainbridge 
			 KS3/CfBT Marilyn Toft 
			 NASWE Michael Sunderland 
			 LGA Mark Behrendt 
			 NAGM Hadrian Southern 
			 NASUWT Kim Garcia 
			 NASUWT Chris Keates 
			 NASUWT Patrick Roach 
			 NASUWT Jennifer Moses 
			 NCSL Edith Pagliacci 
			 NCSL Pat Collarbone 
			 NPQH—NCSL Robin Attfield 
			 National Council for Parent-Teacher Association David Butler 
			 NFPI Ann Page 
			 National Governors Council Mary Wallis-Jones 
			 National Planning and Parenting Institute Mary Macleod 
			 NUT John Bangs 
			 NUT Rosamund McNeil 
			 NCB Philippa Stobbs 
			 Professional Association of Teachers Jean Gemmell 
			 Professional Association of Teachers Sharon Vaughan 
			 SHA Bob Carstairs 
			 SHA Kate Griffin 
			 UNISON Vacant 
			 Teacher Training Agency Laura Mahoney 
			 Teacher Training Agency Martin Dore 
			 Independent Rashida Sharif

Learning Edge Partnership Programme

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to her Answer of 6 July 2004, Official Report, column 340W, on the Leading Edge Schools Programme, what discussions her Department is having on the Leading Edge Partnership Programme; and with whom.

Jacqui Smith: Discussions have taken place about the future of the Leading Edge Partnership Programme, in the context of the Five Year Strategy commitment to offer leading roles for high performing specialist schools, with a wide range of professionals. The Department has had discussions with, among others, the Specialist Schools Trust, the Youth Sport Trust, the Teacher Training Agency, the Leading Edge Partnership Programme's Steering Group and other interested Head Teachers.

Mobile Phones (Schools)

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what policies are being developed to stop the bullying with mobile phones known as 'happy slapping' in schools.

Jacqui Smith: Happy slapping incidents may well be considered violent crimes under existing criminal law legislation, and therefore should be dealt with in the same way as other such incidents. Guidance on dealing with such incidents is available on the teachernet website and further advice to schools on violence reduction is currently being developed.
	In terms of bullying by mobile phone, part of the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) remit under the funding provided by the Department is to develop innovative and practical approaches to tackling bullying, including the modern menace of bullying by text messaging. Bullying by text messages on mobile phones is also referred to in our guidance pack for schools 'Don't suffer in Silence'.

Mobile Phones (Schools)

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will consult mobile phone companies on the development of new technologies to block the use of mobile phones in schools.

Jacqui Smith: There are currently no plans for the Department to begin consultation with mobile phone companies on technologies to block mobile phone use in schools.

New School Provision

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how she proposes to encourage the creation and retention of small schools and state boarding schools.

Jacqui Smith: Local authorities are responsible for planning school places in their area including the creation and retention of small schools. In the interests of raising standards, we expect local authorities to take parents' preferences for a particular type of provision into account in the planning process. Statutory Guidance to school organisation committees and the schools adjudicator makes clear that they must not assume a school must be of a certain size to be a good school.
	In relation to State Boarding Schools, we have made available £5 million to support projects to increase boarding provision or undertake essential work to existing boarding accommodation.

New School Provision

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what mechanisms will be put in place to ensure new school provision in areas where school standards are low.

Jacqui Smith: Where the appropriate response to low standards in an area is the establishment of a new school—whether an additional school or a school to replace one or more existing schools—the local authority will be required under the Education Act 2005 to invite potential providers to bring forward proposals.

Otley College

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills for what reason Otley College decided to close the IT training centre at Colchester.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 23 May 2005
	This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.
	Letter from Mark Haysom to Mr. Bob Russell, dated 9 June 2005
	I write in response to your recent question to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills regarding the closure of the IT Centre at Otley College, Colchester.
	Otley College's funding allocation for adult learners in 2005–06 has been capped at the 2004–05 level to support growth in funding for 16–18 learners.
	The IT Centre offers free, low level IT courses mainly to adults, that are funded entirely from the college's funding allocation from the LSC. This provision is not a priority for the LSC and the college, having reviewed its adult provision, has decided to close the Centre because it is not economically viable. In making this decision the college was aware that suitable alternative provision was available in Colchester. Colchester has a large FE college, a large adult community college and numerous private providers that offer similar IT courses.
	In order to achieve Government targets for 2005–06 LSC funding has been focused on priorities which has reduced the funding available for non-priority adult provision such as that offered at the IT Centre in Colchester. The scale of reduction in adult provision is likely to be greater than anticipated due to our need to support unprecedented numbers of young people in FE provision, and the LSC is currently reviewing planning arrangements and modelling funding implications to assist college plans for 2006–07.

Out-of-Hours Learning

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her estimate is of the proportion of (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools that support out-of-hours learning.

Jacqui Smith: We recently commissioned MORI to conduct research into the extent and nature of study support in schools. Findings indicated that 90 per cent. of primary and 98 per cent. of secondary schools now offer some study support. The most popular activities are PE and sport, followed by music and ICT.

Out-of-school Units

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many places have been available in out-of-school units in each year since 1995; and what plans she has to increase the number.

Jacqui Smith: The available information is given in the table. It is the responsibility of local authorities (LAs) to provide suitable education for those children of compulsory school age who, by reason of illness, exclusion from school or otherwise, may not otherwise receive it. Therefore each LA will decide how many PRU places it needs, in line with its own policies, the efficient use of resources and DfES guidance.
	
		Pupil referral units: number of pupils—1995 to 2005 (Provisional) England 
		
			  Number of pupils 
			 Position in January each year: Pupils on the unit register only(40) Dually registered pupils(41) Total 
		
		
			 1995 5,043 4,129 9,172 
			 1996 6,872 4,183 11,055 
			 1997 7,530 4,403 11,933 
			 1998 7,740 4,166 11,906 
			 1999 8,263 4,202 12,465 
			 2000 8,479 4,586 13,065 
			 2001 9,289 4,993 14,282 
			 2002 9,956 4,968 14,924 
			 2003 12,005 5,518 17,523 
			 2004 13,038 7,293 20,331 
			 2005(42) 14,470 8,010 22,480 
		
	
	(40) Also includes pupils with other providers.
	(41) Pupils who are on the unit's register and on another school's register,
	(42) Provisional figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	Annual Schools Census

Post-16 Education

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action she is taking to increase (a) flexibility of provision and (b) choice and diversity in 16–19 education.

Jacqui Smith: The actions we are taking to increase (a) flexibility of provision and (b) choice and diversity in 16–19 education are set out in the Departments' five year strategy, the 14–19 White Paper and the Government's manifesto.
	We plan to publish more detailed guidance on measures to increase choice and diversity in 16–19 provision later this year.

Post-16 Education

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to increase diversity in 16–19 provision of education outside sixth form colleges, school sixth forms and further education colleges.

Jacqui Smith: An objective of competitions for new 16–19 provision is to open the market to new providers. These could include schools and colleges. They could also include others, for example private sector providers of vocational learning. The intention is that competitions will attract high quality, and where appropriate innovative proposals that will contribute to an improved local offer.

Post-16 Education

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance will be produced for stakeholders in 16–19 provision of education on increasing choice and diversity.

Jacqui Smith: The guidance on increasing choice and diversity in 16–19 provision that was prepared earlier this year has been reviewed in the light of policy developments. We plan to issue it for consultation later in the summer.

Post-16 Education

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list prospective stakeholders in 16–19 provision with which her Department has held initial discussions.

Jacqui Smith: Departmental officials have worked with the LSC on developing draft guidance on how the new measures for increasing choice and diversity in 16–19 provision will work in practice. We plan to consult stakeholders more widely on the draft guidance later in the summer.

Post-16 Education

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will allocate a portion of the funding for rebuilding of secondary schools to further education colleges for delivery of vocational education to 14 to 16-year-olds.

Bill Rammell: Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is for investment in schools.
	The Spending Review settlement for 2005–06 to 2007–08 provides however, for capital investment in both the schools and further education sectors. The Department has been working with the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to ensure that this capital investment is complementary. Where BSF proposals address the 14–19 agenda in association with a local further education college, the LSC will consider this when determining applications to upgrade further education provision, where this is deemed to be necessary as part of the overall local strategy. In order to support the needs of further education colleges, the Chancellor's March 2005 Budget statement included additional resources for the sector of £100 million and £250 million in 2008–09 and 2009–10 respectively.

School Governance

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether (a) primary and (b) secondary legislation would be necessary to allow more flexibility in the structure of governing bodies of schools.

Jacqui Smith: The existing framework allows governing bodies to determine their own size and composition within a framework of guiding principles based on a stakeholder model. We will consult on any new proposals in due course.

School Meals

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on proposals for training for school catering staff.

Jacqui Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the response that I gave on 6 June 2005, Official Report, column 476W to his question and to the response that I gave on 8 June 2005, Official Report, column 691W to the hon. Member for North-West Leicestershire (David Taylor).

School Support Staff

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether she plans to require support staff working in schools to register with the General Teaching Council.

Jacqui Smith: There are no plans to require support staff in schools to be registered with the General Teaching Council.

School Transport

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what Government assistance is available to provide school transport for pupils unable to travel to schools to which they have been allocated by their local education authority by either private or public transport.

Jacqui Smith: The Education Act 1996 sets out local education authority (LEA) duties and powers relating to school transport. LEAs must make transport arrangements for all pupils of compulsory school age who attend their nearest suitable school, where this is beyond statutory walking distance, and for pupils with transport written into their statement of Special Educational Need. LEAs may use their discretionary powers to help in other situations, including making transport arrangements to schools other than the nearest suitable school, and paying all or part of a pupil's reasonable travelling expenses.

Schools (Cheshire)

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Cheshire attended by children from Wales in 2005, indicating the number of pupils from Wales attending each school.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested has been provided in the tables below. To comply with the National Statistics code of practice and associated protocols low counts have been suppressed for individual schools.
	
		Pupils resident in Wales who attend maintained primary, secondary and special schools in the Cheshire local education authority
		
			  Pupil numbers Percentage of Cheshire school population Number of schools 
		
		
			 Total Cheshire School Population 104,433 — — 
			 Total pupils resident in Wales attending schools in Cheshire 729 0.70 66 
			 Primary Schools 292 0.28 48 
			 Secondary Schools 421 0.40 14 
			 Special Schools 16 — 4 
		
	
	'—' Denotes less than 0.05 per cent.
	Source:
	PLASC 2005 Provisional data
	
		Schools in Cheshire LEA attended by pupils resident in Wales
		
			  Number of pupils 
			 Primary schools  
		
		
			 Hoole CE Primary and Nursery School — 
			 Victoria Infant School — 
			 Newton Primary School — 
			 Blacon Hall Junior School — 
			 J. H. Godwin Primary School — 
			 Belgrave Infant School 11 
			 Boughton St. Paul's Nursery and Infant School — 
			 Helsby Hillside Primary School — 
			 Harthill Primary School — 
			 Waverton Community Primary School — 
			 Farndon Primary School 59 
			 Ashton Hayes Primary School — 
			 Mill View Primary School 4 
			 Christleton Primary School 3 
			 Saughall The Ridings Community Infant School 5 
			 Acresfield Community Primary School — 
			 Cherry Grove Primary School 5 
			 Dee Point Primary School — 
			 Mansfield Primary School — 
			 Oldfield Primary School — 
			 Meadow Community Primary School — 
			 Woodfield Primary School — 
			 Highfield Community Primary School — 
			 Lache Primary School 11 
			 Willaston CofE Primary School 4 
			 Bickerton Holy Trinity CofE Primary School 8 
			 Dodleston CofE Primary School 6 
			 Guilden Sutton CofE Primary School 3 
			 Saughall the Thomas Wedge CofE Junior School 8 
			 Glutton Church of England Primary School — 
			 Malpas Alport Endowed Primary School 15 
			 Shocklach Oviatt CofE Primary School 13 
			 Tilston Parochial CofE Primary School 5 
			 Tushingham-with-Grindley CofE Primary School — 
			 Huxley CofE Primary School — 
			 Overleigh St. Mary's CofE Primary School 20 
			 Upton Heath CofE Primary School — 
			 St. Thomas of Canterbury Blue Coat CofE Junior School — 
			 St. Clare's Catholic Primary School 9 
			 Crowton Christ Church CofE Primary School — 
			 Eccleston CofE Primary School 49 
			 Saighton CofE Primary School 3 
			 Ellesmere Port Christ Church CofE Primary School — 
			 St. Saviour's Catholic Junior School — 
			 St. Saviour's Catholic Infant School — 
			 St. Mary of the Angels Catholic Primary School — 
			 St. Werburgh's and St. Columba's Catholic Primary School 7 
			 St. Oswald's CofE Aided Primary School 8 
			   
			 Secondary schools  
			 Kingsway High School — 
			 Blacon High School 4 
			 Queen's Park High School 58 
			 Neston High School 4 
			 Ruskin Sports College—a Community High School — 
			 Christleton High School 13 
			 Upton-by-Chester High School 26 
			 Bishop Heber High School 134 
			 Sutton High School — 
			 The Whitby High School, A Specialist Technology College 3 
			 Helsby High School — 
			 The Catholic High School, Chester a Specialist Science College 156 
			 Ellesmere Port Catholic High School 4 
			 The Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School 13 
			   
			 Special schools  
			 David Lewis School — 
			 Cloughwood School — 
			 Hinderton School — 
			 Dorin Park School 12 
		
	
	'—' Denotes less than 3 pupils

Sixth Forms

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment her Department has made of sixth form provision provided by Palmers College, Thurrock; and if she will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: Palmer's College delivers provision for both young people and adults. It was inspected by Ofsted and the Adult Learning Inspectorate in March 2003. The inspection report shows that the overall quality of provision was good. Of the eight curriculum areas inspected, one was outstanding, six were good and one was satisfactory. The leadership and management of the college was also found to be good.

Sixth Forms

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps are being taken to ensure that sixth form colleges in areas of high social need with above average drop-out rates receive equivalent funding to that allocated to high schools with sixth forms; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We have increased funding for further education (FE), which includes sixth form colleges, by £1 billion in 2005–06 when compared to 2002–03—a 25 per cent. cash increase.
	We have brought up funding levels for FE as we said we would, without penalising schools. The Learning and Skills Council's funding rates per course in FE have risen faster than school sixth forms and continued progress will depend on available resources.

Sixth Forms

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what directions she has given to the Learning and Skills Council on funding new school sixth forms.

Jacqui Smith: None. My officials are, however, working with the LSC on guidance for stakeholders on the operation of the new 16–19 capital fund announced in the Department's Five Year Strategy.

Sixth Forms

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school sixth forms have been established since the Department launched its Five Year Strategy.

Jacqui Smith: Four additional school sixth forms have been established since the strategy was published in July 2004, following the approval of the necessary statutory proposals. These include sixth forms added to existing schools and sixth forms included in new schools flowing from local reorganisations.
	Proposals have been approved for a further three sixth forms which will open in September 2005. Details are set out in the following table.
	
		
			 LEA name School name Proposal type 
		
		
			 Proposals implemented in September 2004 
			 Bromley Bishop Justus CofE Secondary School New school with sixth form 
			 Haringey Alexandra Park Secondary School Addition of a sixth form 
			 Northamptonshire Caroline Chisholm School New 4–18 school 
			 West Sussex Oriel High School New school with sixth form 
			 Proposals due to be implemented in September 2005 
			 Milton Keynes Hazeley School New school with sixth form 
			 Milton Keynes Oakgrove School New school with sixth form 
			 Slough The Westgate School Addition of a sixth form

Sixth Forms

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she has issued to (a) schools and (b) local education authorities on the establishment of school sixth forms.

Jacqui Smith: The Department's guidance on statutory proposals for LEAs and for schools includes guidance on establishing school sixth forms. This can be found on the Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/schoolorg

Sixth Forms

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether she has discussed the establishment of school sixth forms with (a) the Learning and Skills Councils and (b) local education authorities.

Jacqui Smith: No, but officials have had extensive discussions on the establishment of school sixth forms with national and local stakeholders, including the Learning and Skills Council and local education authorities.

Sixth Forms

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have expressed an interest in establishing a school sixth form.

Jacqui Smith: My Department does not collect this data centrally. We are, however, aware of a number of schools with an interest in establishing a sixth form; and local authorities and Learning and Skills Councils will have information about 11–16 schools in their areas that would like to open sixth forms.

Sixth Forms

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what procedures a school is required to follow to set up a new sixth form.

Jacqui Smith: A school wishing to set up a new sixth form must first consult and then publish a statutory proposal which is decided by the local school organisation committee or, if they cannot agree unanimously, by a schools adjudicator. The detailed procedures are set out in the Department's guidance for schools on statutory proposals which can be found on the Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/schoolorg

Sixth Forms

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether (a) primary and (b) secondary legislation would be necessary to enable new school sixth forms to be set up.

Jacqui Smith: Provisions for establishing a new school sixth form are set out in the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998, as amended and regulations made under them. No additional primary or secondary legislation is necessary to enable new school sixth forms to be set up.

Skills Training

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assistance the Department provides in Tamworth to promote a well-trained and skilled workforce.

Phil Hope: Central Government provides substantial financial investment in training and skills through the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for Staffordshire. The LSC works with a range of partners, learning providers and employers. The recent White Paper 'Getting on in Business; Getting on at Work', announced a National Employer Training Programme which will tailor training solutions to meet the skills needs of employers and their employees. The Executive Director of Staffordshire LSC will give further detailed information about the work being undertaken in Tamworth and a copy of the reply will be placed in the Library.

Student Finance

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to her written statement of 7 June 2005, Official Report, column 43WS, on student finance, what the (a) arrangements and (b) timescale for making submissions to the review are.

Bill Rammell: The review of student finance delivery will be inviting submissions, through a written questionnaire, in the next month. The timescale for making submissions is yet to be determined but will conform to the Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Written Consultations guideline of a minimum of 12 weeks.

Student Finance

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment her Department have made of the effect of the new student funding regime on access to part-time undergraduates courses for (a) mature students and (b) those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Bill Rammell: This Government were the first to introduce statutory support for students studying on a part-time basis. In the current academic year, a grant of up to £575 for fees and a course grant of up to £250 are available for students from the poorest backgrounds. The grants are means-tested in order to target funding most effectively at those from disadvantaged backgrounds. There is no age limit on the fee grant or the course grant, ensuring that part-time students have access to funding regardless of age.
	In 2005/06 we are improving the fee grant arrangements by linking the maximum fee grant available to the intensity at which the student is studying. For example, for a student studying at 75 per cent. or more of the full-time equivalent course a fee grant of up to £885 will be available.
	We will continue to monitor the sector to ensure that we use available funding in the most effective way to support those part-time students who most need it.

Student Finance

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 7 June 2005, Official Report, column 43WS, on student finance, what the definition is of under-represented student groups for these purposes.

Bill Rammell: The review will consider the needs of all customers of the student finance service. It will particularly consider the needs of lower socio-economic groups and those who receive specific grants, such as students with dependents and disabled students.

Student Numbers

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students of (a) Chinese, (b) Arabic, (c) chemistry, (d) physics and (e) mathematics there were in higher education institutions in England in each year between 1994 and 2004; and what the projected numbers are for each year from 2005 to 2010.

Bill Rammell: The latest available figures are shown in the table. Figures for 2004/05 will be available in January 2006. The Department does not produce projections of student numbers by subject.
	
		Undergraduate students in higher education institutions in England by subject of study(43)
		
			  Chinese(44) Modern middle eastern studies(45) Chemistry Physics Mathematics 
		
		
			 1994/95 540 640 13,710 8,010 11,130 
			 1995/96 590 740 12,960 7,870 10,855 
			 1996/97 585 745 12,550 8,550 11,355 
			 1997/98 550 695 12,370 8,320 12,095 
			 1998/99 545 680 12,465 8,170 12,005 
			 1999/2000 510 600 11,900 7,935 12,150 
			 2000/01 465 555 10,965 7,715 12,320 
			 2001/02 510 685 10,695 7,225 12,600 
			 2002/03 650 1,030 10,445 7,670 14,460 
			 2003/04 690 1,115 10,390 8,110 17,670 
		
	
	(43) Figures exclude students on combined science or combined language courses who study the subjects shown in the table as part of these courses.
	(44) Covers Chinese languages, literature and culture.
	(45) Covers Middle Eastern languages, literature and culture, including Arabic.
	Note:
	Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.
	Source:
	Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Teacher Training

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action she proposes to take to encourage more people to enter teacher training and to increase the number of options for the training of teachers.

Jacqui Smith: The total number of trainees recruited to initial teacher training courses in 2004/05 entry year was 41,147. This is the highest recorded number of new entrants in any one year.
	Since 2000 a number of financial incentives have existed for Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students to encourage people to train to teach. The package of incentives has just been reviewed and from September 2006 a new range of incentives will be available:
	an increase in financial incentives for maths and science trainees to £9,000 bursary and £5,000 golden hello;
	an increase in the bursary for other shortage subjects such as modern languages, Design and Technology, Information and Communications Technology, English (including drama), Music and Religious Education(RE) to £9,000 with a £2,500 Golden Hello. Music and RE trainees currently get the £6,000 bursary only;
	a continuation of the £6,000 bursary for all other PGCE student teachers This represents no change on the current position.
	To ensure that people wishing to enter teaching have as many options open to them as possible there has been a significant expansion in the provision of flexible and employment-based routes to Qualified Teacher Status including the Graduate Teacher Programme in the last five years.

Temporary Classrooms

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many temporary classrooms are in use in each local education authority.

Jacqui Smith: The following table shows numbers of temporary buildings on school premises for each English local education authority. The figures are derived from data supplied to the Department by authorities. Not all temporary buildings are used for teaching. They may accommodate one or more classrooms.
	Central Government capital support for investment in schools has increased from under £700 million in 1996–97 to £5.5 billion this year and will rise further to £6.3 billion by 2007–08. Progress is being made year-by-year in improving the quality of the school building stock. The bulk of schools capital is now allocated by formula to authorities and schools so that they can address their local priorities, including the replacement of decayed temporary accommodation, on which we have set a high priority.
	Modern, high quality mobile or demountable classrooms provide a good environment for teaching and learning where there is short term need. They might, for instance, be needed to cope with a short term increase in pupil numbers, or where extensive remodelling or rebuilding of permanent accommodation means providing temporary accommodation on the school site, rather than transporting children elsewhere.
	
		Numbers of temporary buildings on school premises
		
			  Temporary buildings 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 9 
			 Barnet — 
			 Barnsley 34 
			 Bath and North East Somerset — 
			 Bedfordshire 205 
			 Bexley 174 
			 Birmingham 320 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 1 
			 Blackpool 1 
			 Bolton 6 
			 Bournemouth 38 
			 Bracknell Forest 39 
			 Bradford 107 
			 Brent 70 
			 Brighton and Hove 72 
			 Bristol, City of 114 
			 Bromley 28 
			 Buckinghamshire 100 
			 Bury — 
			 Calderdale — 
			 Cambridgeshire 128 
			 Camden — 
			 Cheshire 264 
			 City of London — 
			 Cornwall 174 
			 Coventry 28 
			 Croydon 116 
			 Cumbria 42 
			 Darlington — 
			 Derby 39 
			 Derbyshire 303 
			 Devon 345 
			 Doncaster 60 
			 Dorset — 
			 Dudley 115 
			 Durham 65 
			 Ealing 119 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 104 
			 East Sussex 208 
			 Enfield — 
			 Essex 742 
			 Gateshead 72 
			 Gloucestershire — 
			 Greenwich — 
			 Hackney 10 
			 Halton 20 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham — 
			 Hampshire 635 
			 Haringey 30 
			 Harrow 146 
			 Hartlepool 6 
			 Havering 2 
			 Herefordshire 76 
			 Hertfordshire 272 
			 Hillingdon 90 
			 Hounslow 53 
			 Isle of Wight 90 
			 Isles of Scilly — 
			 Islington 11 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 3 
			 Kent 912 
			 Kingston upon Hull, City of 77 
			 Kingston upon Thames — 
			 Kirklees 120 
			 Knowsley — 
			 Lambeth 41 
			 Lancashire 29 
			 Leeds 263 
			 Leicester 67 
			 Leicestershire 432 
			 Lewisham 32 
			 Lincolnshire 294 
			 Liverpool 40 
			 Luton — 
			 Manchester 42 
			 Medway — 
			 Merton 4 
			 Middlesbrough 25 
			 Milton Keynes 24 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne — 
			 Newham 89 
			 Norfolk 837 
			 North East Lincolnshire 81 
			 North Lincolnshire 164 
			 North Somerset 142 
			 North Tyneside 29 
			 North Yorkshire — 
			 Northamptonshire 320 
			 Northumberland 2 
			 Nottingham — 
			 Nottinghamshire 169 
			 Oldham 33 
			 Oxfordshire 239 
			 Peterborough 63 
			 Plymouth 107 
			 Poole 46 
			 Portsmouth 6 
			 Reading 1 
			 Redbridge — 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 21 
			 Richmond upon Thames 16 
			 Rochdale — 
			 Rotherham 151 
			 Rutland 7 
			 Salford 5 
			 Sandwell 27 
			 Sefton 46 
			 Sheffield 98 
			 Shropshire 56 
			 Slough 33 
			 Solihull 103 
			 Somerset 431 
			 South Gloucestershire — 
			 South Tyneside — 
			 Southampton 42 
			 Southend-on-Sea 25 
			 Southwark 11 
			 St. Helens 10 
			 Staffordshire 334 
			 Stockport 54 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 63 
			 Stoke-on-Trent — 
			 Suffolk 109 
			 Sunderland 26 
			 Surrey — 
			 Sutton 104 
			 Swindon 63 
			 Tameside 50 
			 Telford and Wrekin 126 
			 Thurrock — 
			 Torbay 66 
			 Tower Hamlets 12 
			 Trafford — 
			 Wakefield — 
			 Walsall 15 
			 Waltham Forest 19 
			 Wandsworth 22 
			 Warrington 45 
			 Warwickshire 368 
			 West Berkshire 73 
			 West Sussex 336 
			 Westminster — 
			 Wigan 32 
			 Wiltshire 193 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 52 
			 Wirral 134 
			 Wokingham 68 
			 Wolverhampton — 
			 Worcestershire 185 
			 York 57 
		
	
	'—' signifies that either no data have been supplied by LEAs, or there are clearly significant data anomalies.